A nine-year-old boy spent more than two months in a Karatina police station cell, which he shared with adults, as police ostensibly tried to trace his parents.
However, the police on Tuesday hurriedly sought a court order and transferred the boy to a children’s home in Nyeri after they got wind that the media was inquiring about the matter.
The court order seen by the Informer and signed by a Karatina magistrate indicates that the police have been allowed to place the boy under the custody of the Ruring’u Children’s Home.
The plight of the boy was brought to the attention of the media by some of the adults who spent two nights with him last weekend after being arrested for various offences.
“I found the boy, who was wearing a blue pair of shorts and a cardigan, in a cell meant for adults and wondered what he was doing there. After he narrated his story, I decided to forego my ration of ugali and cabbages and gave it to him,” said Mr Richard Kaguta, who had been arrested for allegedly being drunk.
The boy told him he was from Imenti, Meru County, and was found loitering in the streets two months ago and taken to the station, which had been his home ever since.
Efforts to get a comment from Mathira East OCPD Mr James Baraza were futile as he was said to be out of office.
However, a police source who sought anonymity confirmed the boy has been at the station after the police failed to trace his parents.
