Two boys who had been kept at home by their mother since schools reopened as she prayed for money to transfer them were today handed over to their grandparents.
Kiambu Senior Principal Magistrate Ms Stella Atambo further directed that the children’s officer escorts the duo in the company of their father to their mother’s house to pick their clothes and other items in readiness for relocation to their grandparents.
Atambo in her order today instructed that the children to be taken to Limuru international school where they had been schooling last year before their mother removed them in the guise of praying for money to transfer them to Braeburn School.
The boys aged Seven and eight years have unlawfully been kept by their mother Janet Njeri Chege at home since the term began.
She told the court that she was praying to God to open ways for her to get money to transfer them. Ironically, fees at the current school had been paid when schools reopened for the term. Chege is a trained nurse but she said she is currently not working.
The boys who played freely at the chambers told the SPM they wanted to go back to school and see teacher Lucy “A” and teacher Lucy “B”.
Chege parted ways with the Children’s father three years ago and has been staying with the children but he has been supporting them. When the magistrate probed, Chege said she was not aware that her husband had married another wife. “What I know from the Bible is that one can only marry once, so he is only staying with someone,” she said.
Chege who kept sobbing during the court session said she did not wish to disobey God as she was waiting for Him to answer her prayers, and cited two incidents she had seen the power of God.
The paternal grandparents Mr. and Mrs Njoroge Githuka who were in court said they did not wish to interfere with someone’s faith with her God, but the children’ should not be denied the right to education.
They said the boys would not have any problems at their Riara Ridge home as they frequently visited them. “We also have no other person in the house and the boys will be very comfortable,” they said.
The court ordered the children to stay at the grandparents for two months as they settle back to school. Chege and her parents will return to court on March 3 for mention of the case.