A mother of seven was on Monday charged with procuring an abortion and disposing of the foetus in a nursery school compound. Ms Nancy Nyawira Wanjama, who appeared in a Nyahururu court admitted committing the offence on May 4, in Suswa area, Subukia District.
Prosecutor James Koech told resident magistrate Daniel Musyoka that villagers informed officers at Suswa Police Patrol Base that a foetus had been found at Gatagati Nursery School, prompting officers to launch investigations.
The villagers rounded up four suspects, who were searched by elderly women. Ms Wanjama was found to have signs of having given birth but was unable to explain to the police where the baby was. On further interrogation, the 36-year-old woman admitted thaving given birth and led police to the school where she had disposed of the foetus. She was arrested and escorted to Subukia Police Station and a medical report prepared confirming that she had given birth to a pre-mature baby.
In mitigation, a tearful Wanjama pleaded for leniency, telling the magistrate that she had seven children depending on her and that her husband could not fend for the family. She said that they were landless and that they lived in a rented house, adding that they were experiencing tough times because inflation was very high. “My first born is in Standard Eight and is preparing to sit the national exam so he cannot take care of his younger siblings. I am the only one who is responsible and I cannot afford another child so I procured an abortion,” she said. The accused was remanded in Nyahururu Women’s Remand Home until May 11 when the magistrate will receive a probation report before passing the sentence.
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