Woman charged with trying to sell one-month-old baby

A woman has been charged with attempted sale of her one-month-old baby for Sh20,000.

Phibi Machesa was accused of trying to sell the infant to Francis Burimo Osiolo and Catherine Akinyi, under the pretext that the buyer was to adopt the boy.

Burimo also faced child trafficking charges before Thika Senior Resident Magistrate Oscar Wanyaga. They were charged with promoting child trafficking. However, the three accused persons denied the charges.

According to the prosecution, Machesa allegedly initiated the adoption process of her son, codenamed PSM, while intending to traffic him.

The court heard that the two were arrested on August 2 near Allsops in Nairobi county, where the deal was to be sealed.

In her plea to the court for leniency, Machesa said she only intended to give the baby to Burimo after she suffered financial constraints.

The magistrate ordered an interrogation of the three by the probation officer, and a report should be made and presented before the court on August 17. It is on the mentioning date that the court will issue bond terms.

Speaking before the case began, Machesa’s husband, Sadick Wasike, said she intended to sell the baby to the other accused persons for Sh20,000.

Wasike, 37, said Machesa had already received Sh9,000 as a down payment and was scheduled to receive the remaining amount in due course.

“My problem with Phibi started on Wednesday last week when Machesa refused to breastfeed our son only for her to vanish with the baby when I left for the day,” Wasike said.

She would later call her husband saying the baby had been admitted at Thika Level Five Hospital and that he should take care of their other small child.

After a lengthy interrogation by Wasike and friends, Machesa said she had taken the baby to a security guard at Pumwani Hospital where they went only to find out that the child had not been admitted.

Officers from Makongeni police station in Thika led by OCS Ireri Nyaga on Wednesday laid a trap at Allsops where they arrested the three and rescued the baby.

The baby was later given back to the father after medical examinations.

Under the current law, a person who commits an offence under Section 4 (2)(3) of the counter-trafficking in Persons Act of 2010 is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than 30 years or a fine of not less than Sh20 million or both upon a subsequent conviction.