Ruto Breaks Silence On Baby Sagini Case

President William Ruto has expressed his shock regarding the case of three-year-old Junior Sagini, a boy whose eyes were gouged out by unidentified assailants in Kisii County.

Speaking on Friday, December 23 during a visit to a children's home, the Head of State urged residents to be watchful over their children even during the festive season so that they don't fall prey to culprits that intend to harm them.

Commenting on the Baby Sagini case, Ruto was surprised to learn of the atrocious incident while questioning the ill motives of those responsible for harming a child who has done nothing wrong.

"Please let's be mindful of our children. I'm surprised to hear that there are some parents who are putting their children's lives in danger. 

President Ruto running with children during a Christmas party for them at State House, Nairobi on December 21, 2022. /WILLIAM RUTO

"We have seen that there is one parent in Kisii who has gouged out the eyes of a child, something that is very shocking. I don't know which type of devil is possessing a human being to the point that he is harming a child that does not have a sense of guilt, a child who neither has an error nor is doing any wrong to anyone in life," he addressed.

He praised those parents who go out of their way to take care of children who don't have parents of their own and expressed that his government will protect all children in Kenya and ensure that none of them suffers harm from the parents or anyone else.

"When some parents are harming their children, we have good people here that are adopting children who don't have parents and are raising them.

"It is really a world of a difference and we will make sure as a country that the rule of law that protects the rights of children that we passed previously, that we are going to ensure that the government puts in place a plan to ensure that there is no child in Kenya that is raised badly or is being harmed either by the parents or any other person. The Republic of Kenya will protect all our children," he added.

The three suspects linked to the gouging out of Baby Sagini's eyes; Florence (Pacifica) Nyakerario, Alex Ochogo, and Rael Nyakerario have since been charged with attempted murder after they appeared before Resident Magistrate Christine Ogweno at the Kisii Law Courts.

The court heard that the three colluded and gouged out Sagini's eyes, leading to a permanent disability.

The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) said that between December 13 and December 14, 2022, at Ikuruma location, Marani Sub-county within Kisii, the accused unlawfully attempted to cause the death of the minor by gouging out both eyes- contrary to section 220 of the penal code.

They, however, denied the charges levelled against them. The Magistrate ordered that they remain in custody pending their trial.

Prosecution Counsel Hilary Kaino submitted that the three should be denied bail saying they could interfere with the witness should they be freed. He stated that key witnesses in the matter were close relatives of the accused.

Baby Sagini was represented in Court by lawyer Nduhukire Anita who also supported the DPP's application to deny the accused bail and bond terms.

George Morara appeared in Court as an interested party representing Kisii County Government. He told the court that the victim was under the care of Government Children officers, stating that "His health status is being reviewed by medical specialists."

The Magistrate ordered that the accused be remanded at the Kisii Prisons awaiting trial. The case will be mentioned on January 18, 2023.

Rael had accused Pacifica and Ochogo of plotting to kill Baby Sagini over a piece of ancestral land he was to inherit when he comes of age, claiming that he was a stepson who doesn't deserve to inherit the piece of land, whose value Sagini is too young to comprehend.

Police sources had revealed that Pacifica had abducted Baby Sagini by carrying him in a sack and taking him to the undisclosed location where she and Ochogo gouged out the baby's eyes.

In addition, the two beat him up and dumped him in the family's maize plantation believing that he was dead. Fortunately, Baby Sagini was found alive, but unconscious.