KISII, Kenya – Three family members have been sentenced by the Kisii Law Courts for causing grievous harm to Baby Junior Sagini, a three-year-old child whose eyes were gouged out in a brutal attack that occurred in December last year at Ikuruma Village in Kisii County.
The three suspects, identified as Rael Nyakerario (Grandmother), Alex Ochogo (Cousin), and Pacificah Nyakerario (Aunt), were found guilty of the heinous crime, leading to their respective sentences.
Maina Ochogo, the cousin, received a 40-year prison sentence, while the grandmother, Rael Nyakerario, and the aunt, Pacificah Nyakerario, were sentenced to 5 and 10 years, respectively.
Senior Resident Magistrate Christine Ogweno delivered the judgment, highlighting the gravity of the offense committed by the three family members against their young relative.
Read more Baby Sagini’s Eyes Were to Be Used As Rituals
The prosecution had initially charged the suspects with attempted murder, but the charges were later amended to causing grievous bodily harm under Section 4 of the Penal Code.
During the trial, the court heard harrowing testimony from Baby Sagini, who described how his grandmother had gouged out his eyes with her hands before abandoning him in a maize plantation.
Sagini’s sister also testified, recalling the day they went to fetch water at the river and returned to find her brother missing, only to discover him later in the maize field.
Medical reports presented to the court confirmed the severity of the assault. Daniel Nyameino, a clinician at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital, revealed that Baby Sagini had sustained multiple injuries, including gouged-out eyes, scratch marks, and bruises caused by unknown assailants.
The little boy was immediately taken to Kisii Eye Hospital for specialized medical attention, but tragically, his eyes were permanently damaged. Experts recommended that he be enrolled in a blind school to receive appropriate care and support.
In the aftermath of the horrifying incident, Baby Sagini and his sister have been under the care of Josephine Karimi, who testified in court that the children showed signs of improvement through psychosocial support.
The caregiver highlighted that the minors had exhibited violent behavior and abusive language when they first came into her care, reflecting the hostile environment they were raised in.
The sentencing of the three family members has brought some semblance of justice to Baby Sagini, but it has also shed light on the urgent need for safeguarding vulnerable children from abuse within their own families.
The case has sparked outrage across the country, calling for greater awareness and protection for children who may be at risk in their homes.
Discussion about this post