A main suspect in the bizarre incident that saw the gouging of the eyes of three-year-old Junior Sagini will remain in police custody to allow the detectives in Marani Sub County to complete their investigations.
Kisii Senior Resident Magistrate, Christine Ogweno on Tuesday ordered that Pacifica Nyakerario be detained at Rioma Police Station to allow the investigating officers to carry out their investigations.
Nyakerario, an aunt of baby Sagini, was apprehended by detectives in Nairobi on Monday night where she had been hiding since the incident occurred.
According to Prosecutor Hillary Kaino, Nyakerario was the last person who had been seen with baby Sagini before she left for Nairobi. He asked the court to detain the suspect for four days to assist the police to conclude the investigations.
However, Nyakerario told the court she had left home when everything was well adding that she was willing to cooperate with the detectives investigating the case.
On Monday, Alex Ochogo, son of Nyakerario and another suspect in the case, was arraigned before Magistrate Ogweno for allegedly conspiring with the mother to commit the gruesome assault that has caused uproar in the entire country.
Kaino told the court that the 26-year-old escorted his mother who is the main suspect to the bus station to board a vehicle to Nairobi on the day Sagini was found, thereby implying that he was part of the scheme to conceal the cruel act.
Ochogo is currently being held at the same police station as his mother and both will appear in court for mentioning of the case on Friday, 23rd of December.
Baby Sagini was found in a maize plantation with his eyes plucked off at Ikuruma village, Marani Sub County, on Wednesday last week and rushed to Kisii Eye Hospital for treatment.
The minor had accompanied other children to fetch water from a nearby spring but failed to return home, prompting his family to begin searching for him.
Doctors say Sagini underwent a surgical operation and has recuperated well, but will remain blind for now due to the extent of the injuries inflicted.
The national government, through the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Affirmative Action, and Gender, Aisha Jumwa promised to provide shelter to baby Sagini and his sister at a safe place.
This was confirmed by Kisii Governor, Simba Arati who added that there are allegations that Sagini’s sister had been defiled previously and both needed a safer place.
By Mercy Osongo
