Police bust child-theft syndicate, arrest woman selling 5-day-old infant for Ksh.400K

On Sunday afternoon along Eastern Bypass, two women chat as they walk for an important meeting with their supposed customers.

One would be mistaken to think that the one carrying a baby is the mother; she is not but just here to make a kill.

She was accompanied by her friend who is our source. Our source informed us that the suspect had approached her last Friday with a proposal to look for a buyer.

Unknown to her, the would-be buyers were police officers from Kasarani Police Station who laid a trap for her.

In an audio recording during the meeting obtained by Citizen TV, she says the grandmother of the child who is her accomplice was concerned over the payment. 

“Chenye hatutaki ni tukishamalizana ati mtu atajitokeza,” she says, to which the suspect responds: “Unajua yeye alikuwa tu na kisirani ati juu alikuwa anasema ni boy haezi taka hiyo pesa yani alikuwa tu na maneno ati hiyo bei ni ya girl alitaka 350,000.”

The buyer seeks to know the whereabouts of the child's mother as the suspect identified as Christine Masika fails to mention her in their conversation.

Masika claims the mother is a 13-year-old Form Two student who is not ready to shoulder the responsibilities of taking care of her young baby.

“Kasichana kamejua hivi mimi nimekuja na mtoto nimpelekee children's home akulie huko hivyo ndio kuko na mamake ndio anajua ... Baadaye akiitisha mtoto ... Atampeleka children's home labda ampangee walihama ama nini vitu kama hizo,” she says.

And in case the buyers are in need of another child, Masika assures them of a ready supply: “Wacha nione kwa hii group yetu sijui mtu alikuwa anataka mtoto msichana ama ako na mtoto msichana, ni group ya whatsapp ya biashara hii biashara inasaidia.”

This business, she says is facilitated by middlemen and, there is no sharing of contacts with their buyers to ensure there is no trace.

“Mimi nitatoka kama tumemalizana so ni mimi na number yenu siezi taka na siezi taka mtake yangu natoka wapi, biashara ni hapo kila mtu aende vile anaenda, aende kivyake,” Masika says.

The meeting lasts for about an hour before the buyers convince her to collect 300,000 shillings in their car and promise to top up 100,000 shillings at a restaurant in Roysambu area.

Her destination is the Kasarani Police Station.   

"Huyu mtoto alikuwa anauzwa 400,000 kulingana na report ile nimepata ni kwamba hapo mbeleni kuna mtoto mwingine msichana alikuwa ameuzwa 300,000 so bado tunafuatilia ndio tutake kujua yule aliuzwa 300,00 ni wa nani na ako wapi na mwenye kununua ako wapi,” Muthoni Wahome, the Deputy Sub-County Commander, says.

Upon her arrest, Masika claimed that she had rescued the baby from a bus while travelling when her mother abandoned her. 

"Huyo mtoto sikuchukua bila ruhusa nimekwambia mama mtoto alishuka Narok na hakurudi kwa gari and I was the one next to her akaniambia wache aendee akojoe arudi hakurudi kwa gari, tuliposhuka kondakta wakaniambia wewe shuka na mtoi ... Sikufikiria kumpelekee kwa station ya polisi,” she told the police.

She is expected to be arraigned in court on Tuesday.

The rescued baby has since been transferred to a children's home as police look for the mother of the baby and Masika's accomplices in the illegal trade.