A woman who stole a baby from his mother at Kenyatta National Hospital has been sentenced to five years in jail.
Edina Kemunto was sentenced by City Court chief magistrate Rosaline Ongayo after the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The mother of the child testified that she had given birth to twins, a boy and a girl, at KNH.
When she took the infants to be treated when they fell ill, she was with her husband. They were directed to a ward to stay with their children.
When they went to the room, they met the accused person who befriended them. The mother said the stranger spoke to the child and carried him as if she was plotting a way of getting away.
The accused is said to have committed the offence on February 18 last year.
According to a witness, the accused confused them, stole the child and disappeared to Kawangware in Congo area where she hid.
The parents reported the matter to various police stations, hospital management and broadcast the matter on various media houses including the Citizen Extra show that welcomed them for an interview.
It was during the interview that a well-wisher spotted the baby and alerted them through a phone call.
They quickly quit the interview and went to Kawangware where they found the accused with the child.
After they confirmed they had found their child, the accused started screaming and asked for forgiveness from the crowd.
Kemunto was arrested with the aid of the chief and taken to the police station then arraigned.
All the witnesses confirmed that the accused stole the child and gave facts.
In her defence, she said that she found the child at her sister-in-law’s place.
“I find that the prosecution proved the accused committed the offence, I have found the accused guilty as per the requirement of the law and I, therefore, send her to five years in jail,” the magistrate said.
She gave her 14 days to appeal.
Edited by R.Wamochie
