The two women are expected to be arraigned in court today (Friday). [Photo/ scammstaff.com]
Police in Thika have arrested two women in connection with the sale of a one-day-old baby two months ago.
The two, Marceline Olwade Mulate- the baby's mother and the suspected 'buyer' Loise Wamaitha Muya, are being held at Makongeni police station.
Also helping police with investigations is Olwade's husband, 33-year-old Wycliffe Achudwa Mulimu.
A local Children's Officer Lina Mwangi, told Kenya News Agency (KNA) that Olwade was escorted by her friend Wamaitha to a private hospital in Thika after she started having labour pains on July 26, 2017 at their Makongeni home.
Olwade was admitted and delivered a healthy baby boy on the same day.
However, upon clearing the hospital bill the next morning, Wamaitha requested that Olwande be discharged as she had no post-natal complications, a request that the hospital complied with and released the mother and the baby.
The Children’s officer revealed that Olwande did not go home with the baby, as she is said to have given it to Wamaitha.
"She allegedly received Sh50,000 from the buyer and when she returned home, Olwade told her husband, Achudwa, that the child had died after birth," said Mwangi, as quoted by KNA.
The husband is then reported to have investigated the matter since his wife had not had any complications during child birth.
His fears were confirmed when a neighbour hinted that his wife was seen handing over the infant to the suspected child trafficker soon after being discharged from hospital.
Achudwa visited the private hospital after two weeks and demanded to be told the circumstances that led to the death of his son, but was told the child left the hospital alive.
Upon returning home, he found his wife missing and later learnt that she had gone to their rural home in Western Kenya.
He reported the matter to Makongeni Police Station and investigations traced Wamaitha to Ruaraka.
The officers rescued the baby who is now two-months old.
The couple has four other children who have been moved to a local children home.
The two women are expected to be arraigned in court today (Friday).