Woman in baby’s murder case now blames husband
Justice Teresia Matheka of the High Court in Nyeri. Ms Mercy Njeri told Justice Matheka that it was her husband, Mr Michael Ngatia, who strangled the five-day-old baby before escaping to an unknown destination. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
The court heard that the couple killed the child on April 27, 2016 at 8pm while on their way home from Kirinyaga to Karatina.
It was Ms Njeri who took the police to the scene of the crime, where the baby’s body was found in a polythene bag.
- Dr Stephen Wang’ombe, who conducted the post-mortem, said the baby died after strangulation.
A 23-year-old woman charged with the murder of her new-born has implicated her husband in the case.
Ms Mercy Njeri told Justice Teresia Matheka of the High Court in Nyeri that it was her husband, Mr Michael Ngatia, who strangled the five-day-old baby before escaping to an unknown destination.
The mother of two said the husband did not want another child.
“He was not happy after we got the second born and he did not want the third child. He was a drunkard and was using drugs like bhang and he was selling the same,” Ms Njeri told the court while denying the charges.
RAGATI FOREST
The court heard that the couple killed the child on April 27, 2016 at 8pm while on their way home from Kirinyaga to Karatina and dumped the body in Ragati Forest where it was collected by police.
It was Ms Njeri who took the police to the scene of the crime, where the baby’s body was found in a polythene bag.
She said Mr Ngatia, who was a casual worker at a local construction site, escaped after the incident and has never been traced.
Dr Stephen Wang’ombe of Karatina District Hospital, who conducted the post-mortem, said the baby died from strangulation.
“The findings were that the body had external injuries around the neck and lungs were collapsed. The cause of death was strangulation and there was a piece of cloth around the neck,” said Dr Wang’ombe as he produced the post-mortem report as an exhibit.
The case was adjourned to February 29 when Dr Richu Mwenda, a psychiatrist who ascertained that Ms Njeri was fit to stand trial in the murder case, will testify.
