BY PHOEBE WANJOHI.
A woman accused of plotting to steal a baby at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has been detained for three days pending investigations.
Milimani senior principal magistrate Bernard Ochoi ordered for the detention of Elizabeth Shokau Musembi following application by investigating officer Corporal Jackline Makumba attached to Capital police station.
““I have considered an application by the investigators and taking into considerations that there is a wide syndicate of Child Stealing, I will allow investigating officer three more days until Thursday said Ochoi.
Through a miscellaneous application, the officer sought to be allowed to detain the suspect for five days but the magistrate declined, saying three days were enough to complete investigations.
In her affidavit the officer told the court that the suspect was arrested on September 23,2021 at KNH after she was found having stashed a pillow in her belly to appear pregnant and was heading to the labour ward.
The court heard that the suspect was taken to KNH for pregnancy test and the doctors recommended that she be taken to Mathare mental hospital for assessment.
The investigating officer told the court that they believed that the suspect was at the hospital with intent to commit an offence of child stealing.
The officer told the Magistrate that the case before the court is a serious offence and punishable by law, the suspect availing herself to the hospital for mental assessment by herself cannot be guaranteed,” said Cpl Makaumba.
It is said that the suspect was first detained at KNH police post after security guards at the facility informed the police of a woman who had tried to pass herself off as a maternity patient.
Police says that She was armed with an antenatal booklet at the time of arrest.
The suspect is said to have been, caught red handed disguised as a pregnant patient ready to be admitted into the labor ward at the KNH.
Her plan according to the police, was to get into a maternity ward and steal a baby
It is said that the suspect said she did so in a desperate attempt to get a baby after years of unsuccessfully trying to conceive”
She claims she made her way to hospital to enquire if she could be given an abandoned baby to take care of. Police however believe otherwise.
