Gang jailed for seven years for kidnapping child in Church
From left: Raphael Nderitu Maina, Purity Muthoni Ranji, Anne Wambui Njeri and Ann Yambura Wamboi in a Nairobi court, where they were jailed for seven years each for kidnapping a minor at the Mavuno Church on September 30, 2012. PHOTO | PAUL WAWERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Members of a gang of four who kidnapped a six-year old girl at Nairobi Mavuno Church in South C have been jailed for seven years each.
Nairobi Chief Magistrate Hannah Ndungu convicted Ms Ann Nyambura Wambui, Ms Ann Wambui Njeri, Ms Purity Muthoni Ranji, and Mr Raphael Nderitu Maina for kidnapping the child on September 30, 2012 during a Sunday School service.
The magistrate acquitted Ms Monica Wanjiru Makumi, the owner of an M-Pesa shop where part of the ransom demanded by the child’s abductors was withdrawn.
The last suspect, Mr Raphael Nderitu Maina, was at the time of the incident an inmate at Kamiti maximum-security prison serving a life sentence on death row. He later won an appeal and was set free.
The gang had demanded a Sh5 million ransom from the child’s father. They received Sh100,000 sent through M-Pesa.
BEYOND DOUBT
The magistrate said the prosecution established the case beyond doubt with corroborative evidence adduced by witnesses, who included the investigating officer, Mr John Shegu.
“I have listened to the mitigation of the accused, but taking into account that the offence is rampant in the country and the agony the parent of the child went through, a deterrent sentence is called for," Ms Ndung’u said.
She said the parents, who were witnesses in the case, recounted how they received threatening phone calls from the kidnappers, who said they would kill the child and even offered to tell them the location where to find her body.
The magistrate said Ms Njeri was identified as the woman who abducted the child from the church and was later arrested at a house in Kariobangi, where the police rescued the six-year old.
The first suspect in the case, a Ms Charity Wakonyo, who is the child’s aunt, jumped bail and remains at large.
The convicts have 14 days to appeal.
