80-year-old Rael Nyakerario has secured her freedom after one year behind bars for her part in the torture of baby Sagini whose eyes were gouged out.
Her freedom came after her lawyers successfully convinced the courts that she was innocent.
She was freed after lodging a successful appeal.
“We’re extremely happy that Nyakerario is going home, the court has just found that she was not guilty, and the lower court’s judgement is that the witness had a mental issue,” her lawyer Kerosi Ondieki told the media.
Baby Sagini’s grandmother was set to go back to Ikuruma village. Her lawyer told Citizen TV that they were not taking any chances with her well-being.
“I had not trained my mind on the issue of her security; we will not take chances if we want to see her security situation guaranteed,” Ondieki said.
Despite her release from custody, she was yet to return home when Citizen TV paid her
Thomas Ongaga, Sagini’s father, sat pensively outside his house, alone between his house and his mother’s house, hoping to reunite with Rael Nyakerario after her acquittal.
She was yet to arrive.
“Mimi nilifurahi sana kwamba mama anakuja lakini naambiwa alienda mbali hajaingia kijijini,” Ongaga told Citizen TV.
As the village waits pensively for Nyakerario’s return, her house is on the verge of collapse, with cracks visible in all walls.
Area residents have rubbished claims of a hostile welcome, saying the elderly woman is welcome home.
“Sisi tumemkaribisha sana, watu hufanya makosa lakini tuko tayari..,” one of her neighbours told Citizen TV.
“Jana kuna watu walikuwa wakiandika mitandaoni kwamba Rael atavamiwa na sasa tumehakikisha kwamba tunaangalia social media ila hatutaruhusu afanyiwe kitu..,” Another resident said.
“Mimi nilijua mama mkongwe aliwekelewa makosa tunamkaribisha nyumbani,”
The case had literally divided the entire family down the middle.
The national government is caring for baby Sagini and his sister while they await reintegration.
