Kenyan woman who stole baby in church charged in court

A 23-year-old Kenyan woman has been charged with stealing a one and half-month-old baby during a church service in Nairobi. Mercy Akinyi Otieno, a housewife, allegedly stole the infant on Tuesday, January 31, 2017, at the Jesus Teaching Ministry, located at Kahawa House, Haile Selassie Avenue.
According to the infant's mother, Jeridah Oundo Shikanda, she had gone to church with her husband as well as the son. 
As the service was going on, she went to the washroom to change her baby's wet clothes where she met the accused person who then told her she came from her native home in Khayega.

After having a pleasant conversation with the accused lady, she left the child with the stranger in other to go purchase drinking water. Upon her return, both her child and the woman were nowhere to be found.

Shikanda together with her husband reported the incident at the Kamukunji Police station which led to the arrest of Otiene at Ongata Rongai, where she was hiding with the infant baby.

Speaking at a recent court hearing, the prosecutor said: 'The accused person fraudulently took away the infant with an intent to deprive its mother lawful care and possession.'

She, however, denied the charge of stealing the child. The case is set to be heard on Monday, March 27, 2017.


Source: Nairobi News