Babu Owino offers to settle legal, hospital bills of man accused of attempting to smuggle daughter out of KNH

Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino on Monday offered to settle the hospital bills and legal expenses for a man charged with attempting to smuggle his daughter out of the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).

This comes following public uproar over the case of Bonface Murage Wangechi who was charged that on February 16, 2019, he attempted to escape with the baby in an attempt to defraud the hospital a sum of Ksh.56, 937 incurred by the baby who was admitted at the facility.

Appearing before Milimani Law Courts Resident Magistrate Muthoni Nzibe, the 22-year-old man pleaded guilty to the charge saying he was indeed escaping with the baby because he did not have money to settle the bill.

However, speaking to Citizen Digital, Mr. Owino said he had already selected a lawyer – Peter Omingo – to represent the accused and that he would cater for the expenses “out of my own pocket.”

The outspoken legislator further directed the lawyer to advise the accused to enter a new plea when he is arraigned for sentencing on Tuesday.

“As soon as we have made sure he is released, we will then head to the hospital in question and settle all the incurred expenses and reunite him (Mr. Murage) with his family,” said the lawmaker.

The accused’s wife and daughter are reportedly still being held at the facility following his botched escape plan.