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Puzzle as DNA test shows neither of the couples claiming child are its parents
What you need to know:
- One couple had reported to police that their two-month-old baby had been stolen from their home in Nakuru.
- Baby put under state custody at a children’s home as case against suspected thief proceeds.
In 2019, a couple reported to the police in Nakuru that their two-month-old baby had disappeared from their house in Rhonda estate, Nakuru Town West Sub-county.
About a month later, investigations zeroed in on a baby in Busia County, whom police believed to be the one stolen from the couple.
The police then arrested a woman, Ms L, whom they charged with child trafficking before a Nakuru court in August the same year.
A legal standoff between the two families over the child prompted the court to order a DNA test.
However, to everyone’s surprise, neither of the couples’ DNA samples matched that of the child, thus ruling out all the parties as possible parents of the minor.
Child's real parents
Following the shocking outcome of the DNA test, the police proceeded with their case against Ms L as the child was put under state custody.
On October 1, 2019, Principal Magistrate Bernard Mararo directed that the child be placed at the St Luke’s Children’s Home in Nakuru pending further police investigations to establish its real parents.
It has now been more than two years since the child was placed at the home but no one has ever come forward to claim it.
On the other hand, the search for the couple’s missing child seems to have hit a dead end, with the police now focusing on the court case against Ms L, who was charged with trafficking of the child at the children’s home.
Nakuru West Sub-County Police Commander Samson Gathuku said the search for the couple’s child was still going on, though not much progress had been made.
The couple has been attending the court sessions for some time in the hope that the proceedings will shed light on the whereabouts of their child.
Child trafficking case
The man, who is a carpenter in Mwariki, just a few kilometres from the children's home, said his family has been devastated by the events.
The child trafficking case, which was mentioned on Wednesday, was adjourned after it emerged that the witnesses did now show up.
Detectives had earlier — before the DNA test — stated that two co-accused persons who were arrested in Nairobi had been involved in stealing and ferrying of the child to Busia.
Further, the detectives indicated that one of the co-accused, who claimed to be the child’s grandmother, had stated that the child had been dumped at her house by her late son’s girlfriend.
She further indicated that her son died before disclosing to her the mother of the child. The case will be mentioned on March 3.
