DCI traces two-week-old newborn in Kisii after being stolen from Mimosa Cottage Hospital in Kasarani, Nairobi
Detectives attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have traced and rescued a two weeks old baby stolen by her mother’s friend in Nairobi just two days after she was delivered.
E.B was rescued in Kisii county where she had been abandoned, allegedly by child trafficking suspect Catherine Masi.
The child was stolen on May 26 near Tea Room bus stage while her mother Emily Mosweta was heading home in Umoja
Masi, 43, was traced to Nyali Sub County in Mombasa on June 6, where she had relocated after allegedly abandoning the baby at an elderly couple’s home in Masamba Sub County of Kisii.
She led DCI to the area where she had hidden the child.
Masi was remanded in custody as at the Langata Women’s Prison after denying child trafficking charges at Nairobi’s Makadara Law Courts.
She was charged with offence of Counter trafficking a person contrary to section 3 (1) (d) as read with section 3 (5) of the counter trafficking in person Act.
“On May 26, 2025 at Tea Room bus stage in Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) within Nairobi County you trafficked by transferring E.B a child aged two days from Nairobi to Kisii County by means of deception,” the charge against Masi reads. Masi denied the charge.
She will remain in custody until Ms Mosweta and the elderly couple testifies.
Principal Magistrate Renee Kitangwa also ordered for a social inquiry report which she will rely on to determine whether Ms Masi is suitable for bail and bond terms, and what would be the appropriate terms for her freedom during trial.
Masi allegedly stole the female child from Mosweta after she was discharged from Mimosa Cottage Hospital in Kasarani a day after she delivered.
The child’s mother later reported a matter of a missing infant at Umoja police post and later Buruburu police station where the DCI took up investigations and traced Masi to her hideout in Nyali, Mombasa.
The suspect went elderly couple’s home allegedly claiming to be needy and prayed for drinking water which she was served and later went to relieve herself in the family latrine before she vanished, leaving the child with the couple.
The couple reported the matter to the administrator’s area Assistant Chief and Chief who reported the matter to the Masaba Sub County Children’s office.
The chiefs held public foras in their jurisdictions in efforts to trace the parents of the newborn without success before DCI arrived with Masi and Mosweta, tracing the child.
The child was recovered from the elderly couple who stayed with her for the two weeks the government was looking for her parents and as DCI traced her trafficker.
