Police Arrest Baby Sagini's Grandmother

The grandmother of three-year-old Junior Sagini, a boy whose eyes were gouged out by unidentified assailants in Kisii County was arrested on Wednesday evening, December 21.

Rael Nyakerario, the third suspect arrested in connection to the gruesome torture, was arraigned before a Kisii Court on Thursday, December 22 to face charges of causing grievous harm to Baby Sagini.

The other two suspects are her sister Pacifica Nyakerario and her son Alex Maina Ochogo. The three appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Christine Ogweno following the conclusion of investigations into the case by police officers.

The court has since adjourned the matter to Friday, December 23 due to the absence of interested parties in the case.

“We will not proceed to charge the three suspects following the absence of interested parties like the children's officer and the Law Society of Kenya who have a crucial role to play in this case,” said the prosecutor, Hillary Kaino.

Kaino pleaded with the court to allow the suspects to be detained for one more day so the interested parties are present during the plea-taking.

“Considering the magnitude of the matter, the suspects will take a plea in the presence of interested parties. This case has attracted huge public interest and the suspects will be detained at Rioma Police Station until tomorrow morning for them to face the charges," the magistrate said.

Pacifica was said to have left the village on the day the child was found dumped in a maize plantation with his eyes gouged out.

Following the arrest of Baby Sagini's mother and cousin, detectives in Kisii launched a manhunt for Pacifica, whom Ochogo had escorted to board a bus to Nairobi immediately after they reportedly injured the minor.

Pacifica was said to have sought refuge in the city, according to the prosecutor who presented the case at a magistrates court in Kisii. On the day before the incident, both Ochogo and his mother were said to have spent time together at home.

Police investigators had earlier revealed that Ochogo and the mother gouged out Sagini’s eyes for ritual purposes, noting that the two had plotted to kill Baby Sagini's father in a previous incident in December 2021.

Prosecutor Hilary Kaino made the miscellaneous application to detain the suspect for five days to enable the police to conclude investigations and also arrest more suspects including the mother of Ochogo.

A collage photo of Babu Sagini and his mother on December 21, 2022. /TWITTER.RAMOGI TV