A South Korean national who runs a children's home in Nairobi has sued the state for shutting it down and threatening to deport him.
In suit papers, Hi Jung Ho Children's Home claims that Kasarani deputy county commissioner landed at their premises with a battalion of police officers and illegally took some children to an unknown destination.
"The above illegal exercise was carried out by armed police officers which left the minors completely terrified. The applicant is apprehensive that as a result of the actions of the respondents, the minors may have been left with psychological trauma," suit papers read.
The home which was registered on March 26, 1992, cares for less fortunate children through providing education and other needs.
Children have been accepted into the home with the consent of their parents and a letter from the chief, the court was told.
For the last two decades, it has been operational no complaint has been filed against it, the court heard.
However, the deputy county commissioner on June 3 shut it down rendering the beneficiaries destitute.
It is also claimed that some of the children were taken away without proper reasons. The owner has sued Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kasarani deputy county commissioner and the National Council of Children's Services.
According to the suit papers filed in Milimani court, the deputy county commissioner at some point in February subjected the home and its directors to an unfair hearing whose conclusion was the closure of the home.
Now the court is being told that the decision of that tribunal was reached without affording the home and its directors an opportunity to be heard.
It is alleged that the state officers have been using the chiefs to issue threats of deportation to the directors of the home, according to the court documents.
The court was further asked to take judicial notice of the fact that some of the minors who were taken away are candidates who have already registered for their final exams.
Two are Form 4 students while two others are Standard 8 pupils.
The parents of the minors are concerned because their children have not been attending school since June 3 and they have not been given visitation rights, the court was told.
The home is now asking the court to order for production of the minors with immediate effect.
Also sought is an order to quash a notice issued by the state for the closure of the home.
Edited by R.Wamochie
