Maureen Nyaboke: What evil did I do for one to torture, gouge out my son’s eyes
Doctors have informed them that young Junior Sagini, the victim of the horrendous attack, will remain blind for the rest of his life.
Ms Maureen Nyaboke, 28, is inconsolable and cannot understand why her three-year-old son was tortured and his eyes gouged out by unknown people.
The little boy was then dumped in a maize plantation near their home in Ikuruma village in Marani, Kisii County last Wednesday.
Ms Nyaboke, who left her son in the care of his father a few months ago after they disagreed, returned on Sunday to see her child in the hospital. The news that he will not be able to see again broke her heart.
She cried uncontrollably and not even the consolation by Kisii Governor Simba Arati who had gone to see the injured boy could calm her down.
“I don’t know what to say. I do not know anything. When I left, my child was well, but now he is blind besides undergoing a lot of torture,” said Ms Nyaboke.
The mother of two visited Kisii Eye Hospital on Sunday to see her son, five days after he had been admitted to the facility for specialised eye treatment.
She was too emotional to respond to questions from journalists and Nation.Africa was not able to gather much from her.
Kisii Governor Simba Arati visits Junior Sagini at the Kisii Eye Hospital on December 18, 2022.
Sources, however, said she had been in an on-and-off relationship with her husband and that she had left her home a few months ago after they disagreed.
“She came into the marriage with her two children. Their relationship has been a sour one. Occasionally, she visits her children in her marital home,” said a source adding that Ms Nyaboke lives in another town.
The woman was later taken away by police officers for questioning.
Police say that they are following credible leads that may lead to the arrest of the suspects.
“We are interrogating many people. It is possible that the child was attacked elsewhere and dumped in the maize plantation near their home. This is because the scene where the boy was dumped is undisturbed. We have also not recovered any tool used to gouge his eyes. There was also no noise heard by neighbours,” said Marani Sub County Commander Benjolife Munuve.
Ms Maureen Nyaboke, mother of a three-year old boy whose eyes were gouged out by unknown people is being consoled by Kisii Governor Simba Arati (left) and the Medical Director at the Kisii Eye Hospital Dr Dan Kiage (right) on December 18, 2022.
At the Kisii Eye Hospital, baby Sagini though playful is stigmatised and becomes silent when asked what happened on the day he was attacked. He has injuries on his neck. Swathes of bandages are covering his eye sockets.
Meanwhile, Kisii Governor Simba Arati and former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko have condemned the brutal attack on baby Sagini and promised to ensure justice for him.
Governor Arati, who visited the young boy on Sunday at the Kisii Eye Hospital where he has been receiving treatment, termed the attack inhumane and unfortunate.
The county chief said that he had noted with concern an increase in cases of mental health, not only in Kisii but in Kenya at large.
Mr Arati noted that Sagini’s case was an eye-opener for his administration to put in place functional rescue centres.
“It is quite unfortunate that such an act can be meted out on a three-year-old boy. We need to ensure there are proper facilities within our county to support such cases,” Governor Arati told journalists in Kisii on Sunday.
He told Kenyans that Sagini will not return to his parent’s Ikuruma village in Marani sub-county until investigations are complete.
He promised that Sagini and his sister will be put under government care as they undergo counselling and treatment.
“That is our responsibility. We will take care of these children. They are our own,” Mr Arati said.
The governor announced that he had settled the boy’s hospital bill and other expenses. He thanked the privately owned Kisii Eye Hospital for admitting the boy and offering him specialised medical care.
“I am optimistic that the police will do their work and reveal the perpetrators behind the heinous act,” said Mr Arati.
Reacting to the horror incident separately, former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko through his Twitter account said he had been saddened by the incident and offered to give Sh200, 000 to any Kenyan who will give information that will lead the police to arrest Sagini's attackers.
“I have been saddened by this sad incident and hereby offer Sh400,000 to any police officer (s) who will shoot dead the members of this notorious gang... I will also offer a further Sh 200,000 to anybody who will give information that will lead the police to eliminate this gang of cowards,” Mr Sonko said on his Twitter account.
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