Mother of 3-year-old Junior Sagini, who had his eyes savagely gouged out in Kisii County by unidentified intruders, Maureen Nyaboke made her first public appearance since the event on Sunday.
According to police reports, Sagini, 7, and her 7-year-old daughter were left in the custody of their father and paternal grandmother by 28-year-old Nyaboke.
She was at her job as a bartender in Nyamakoroto, Nyamira county, on Wednesday when the strange attack took place.
Additionally, it was the first time Sagini’s mother had ever been to the Kisii Eye Care Center, where her son has been adjusting to the harsh truth that he would always be blind after falling victim to his attackers while gathering water from a local river.
As Nyaboke was about to leave the hospital, the police swooped in and detained her. She was then taken to Nyanchwa police station and booked under OB no. 33/18/12/2022 before being taken to Rioma police station for additional questioning.
According to Citizen TV, Sagini’s mother will spend the remainder of the evening in police custody before being charged with parental neglect and appearing in court on Monday.
Three other persons, including a form 3 student from a local school, middle aged man and a woman have also been arrested in connection to the incident.
The three went through a 10 hour interrogation before being released on Sunday evening.
Investigators also processed Sagini’s home in Ikuruma village, for potential additional traces of exhibits, collecting a metallic rod for examination.
Doctors frantically operated on Sagini hoping to restore his eyesight but all in vain.
They say he’s ready to be discharged but they can’t just release him yet owing to the fragile & toxic environment still embroiled in the ongoing investigations.
To worsen the situation, Kisii County has no boys rescue center.
“It hurts to see how this baby was mistreated. We shall look after him and ensure we equip our rescue centre,” Kisii Governor Simba Arati said.
At Ikuruma village, shocked residents who are yet to comes to terms with the nature of cannibalism inflicted on their very own say they fear for the lives of their children, locking them up as the Christmas festivities approach.
The Police will continue with investigations on Monday, as they interrogate more witnesses and retrace Sagini’s final steps before his kidnap on the fateful evening.
