Woman who abandoned 3-month-old twins jailed for 3 years

A woman has been sentenced to three years jail term after she was found guilty of abandoning her three-month-old twins.

Rongo Resident Magistrate Raymond Langat found Maurine Achieng guilty of willingly abandoning her babies.

“Based on the evidence provided before court and the witness testimonies, the court found substantial evidence linking her to child neglect,” he ruled.

More than three witnesses testified against her after she was arrested in August.

She went missing after abandoning the children near Kadera Kwoyo Adventist Church in March.

The court found that she had caused unnecessary suffering to the children.

In his ruling, Magistrate Langat cited Section 127 (1)(a) of the Children’s Act No 8 of 2001 which states:

“Any person who having parental responsibility, custody, charge or care of any child and who— (a) wilfully assaults, ill-treats, abandons, or exposes, in any manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury to health (including injury or loss of sight, hearing, limb or organ of the body, and any mental derangement); or by any act or omission, knowingly or willfully causes that child to become, or contributes to his becoming, in need of care and protection, commits an offense and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding Ksh. 200,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or to both.”

The convict has 14 days to appeal the judgment failure to which she will serve her jail term of three years.