Mother gets eight years for planning to kill son, self

Halima Sheillah Bwakali during a past court proceeding. [File, Standard]

A 26-year-old woman has been slapped with an eight-year jail term after she pleaded guilty to attempted murder and attempted suicide.

Kakamega Chief Magistrate Bildad Ochieng’ overlooked a probation report recommending that she be put on a non-custodial sentence to enable her undergo psychological counselling.

Halima Sheillah Bwakali pleaded guilty to the charge of attempted murder against her four-year-old son who escaped death by whisker after his mother forced her to ingest diaxonal poison.

She is said to have committed the felonies on December 23, 2018 at their Kisa North home, Khwisero sub-county.

In his judgment yesterday, Magistrate Ochieng’ noted that life is paramount and it is the duty of the court to protect the lives of citizens.

“Her attempt to kill the defenseless child as well as trying to commit suicide to escape the punishment should not be taken lightly. She was expected to show care for her child, but she turned out to be his tormentor. It is only by God’s grace that the child survived the poison,” said the magistrate.

Halima also admitted committing a charge of attempted suicide after a confrontation with her mother over her (Halima’s) drinking habit.

She had on the fateful morning been involved in a quarrel with her mother, Ruth Auma, who had ordered her to vacate her house over her alcoholic behaviour.