Police in Eldoret have unearthed a network of child trafficking syndicates where certain employees of private hospitals are working in cohort with traffickers by processing fake birth notifications used by traffickers to acquire birth certificates which are eventually used to transport stolen children.
In a related development, three middle-aged women among them two employees of a private hospital have been arrested in connection to the syndicate.
The trio has been arraigned in connection with child trafficking related offences.
The accused, Brenda Cheptoo, Rael Nyaboke and Clanca Njeri appeared before Eldoret Senior Resident Magistrate Barnabsa Kiptoo and were accused of trafficking four children aged between 7 months and 5 years.
While appearing before the court, they were not allowed to take plea after the prosecution applied for more time to complete investigations into the alleged child trafficking scam linked to the three women.
They were arrested in Eldoret town four days ago by police officers attached to the directorate of criminal investigations department and locked up in a police cell at Naiberi police station in Ainabkoi sub county Uasin Gishu County.
According to court documents, the first and second accused are employees of Eldoret based Fountain health care hospital while the third accused is an accomplice in the child trafficking scam.
Upon their arraignment, prosecution made an application to detain them for 21 days pending investigations.
Through her sworn affidavit in court the investigating officer inspector Joyce Thunge from Eldoret East Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) told the court the trio were likely to interfere with investigations if released before completion of investigations.
The investigator further told the court that the suspects were flight risk hence if released they were likely to abscond court process.
Ms Thunge told the court that the prime suspect Ms Cheptoo is in charge of the hospital record while Nyaboke works at the facility as a nutritionist.
She further revealed to the court that detectives intend to subject the four children to DNA tests with a view to establish their biological parents.
The court was also told that prosecution was yet to record statements from key witnesses in the child trafficking case.
“We request the court to allow us to detain the suspects at Naiberi police station for 21 days to enable us complete investigations into the child trafficking offence. We are worried that if released on bond they are also likely to interfere with investigations,” she told the court.
According to police the second accused claims to be the mother of two kids while the third accused claimed to be the biological mother of the other two kids during interrogations at the police station.
However, detectives told the court that the accused were unable to produce documentary evidence from the hospital or registrar of birth to show that they are indeed the biological mothers of the children in question.
Ironically the court heard the second respondent changed her mind and stated that two children were left under her care by her elder sister who flew to Dubai in search of greener pasture.
The court directed police to detain the suspects for 12 days at Naiberi police station pending investigation.
The matter will be mentioned on April 15.
The incident comes at a time when police are still fumbling to unravel the riddle of cases of mysterious disappearance of children in Langas estate in Eldoret town.
Police confirmed four cases of missing children in the estate yet the residents and human rights lobbies claim that more than 30 children from the same estate are missing.
However, police insisted that the more than 30 children are not missing children but they have been placed in various rescue centres in Uasin Gishu as children in need of care and protection.
Kapseret sub County police commander, Sarah Chumo confirmed that four cases of missing children have been reported at the station.
Ms Chumo said information about the missing children has been circulated in all police social media platforms.
“We have a report of four missing children reported at Langas police station. The information has been shared in our social media platforms and investigations are still ongoing,” said Ms Chumo.
Ms Chumo further revealed that more than 30 children that are alleged to have gone missing in the estate were rescued as children in need of care and protection have been taken to various rescue centres in Uasin Gishu for protection and care.
She said all the children are below the age of seven.
“We also have children who were rescued from Langas police station and we took them to rescue centres. They are all below the age of seven years,” said Ms Chumo.
