A woman charged with stealing a baby from the Kenyatta National Hospital has changed her plea of guilty to not guilty.
Edinah Kemunto is facing two separate counts of theft of a three-weeks-old baby.
She appeared before Milimani chief magistrate Francis Andayi on Friday where she was given more time to consult her lawyer James Mwangi.
The lawyer has offered to give her free legal services.
On Thursday, her lawyer asked the court to allow him offer free legal service to the accused to make her understand the legal process.
Mwangi applied for his client to be released on lenient bond, saying she comes from a poor family in Nyamira.
He told the court the Kemunto used to work as a house maid to support the rest of her family members, who are also poor.
However, the magistrate granted the application and ordered her to be released on Sh500,000 bond or Sh300,000 cash bail pending the hearing of the case on April 3.
The accused was also directed to be released on the similar bond and cash bail terms in respect of the second count of stealing a child at Kamukunji area, Nairobi county.
Emmanuel Kiptoo of the Children’s department had told the court: “The nature of the offence [necessitates] more time for officers to complete investigations.”
Kiptoo further said they were looking for witnesses, possibly patients who were at the facility on February 18 – when the baby was stolen, but have since been discharged.
He added that preliminary investigations revealed a child stealing syndicate and that the probe will extend to Kisii and Bungoma counties.
The policeman had also noted the baby and the suspect must undergo medical examinations that will require the extraction of DNA samples.
He told the court that in addition, more suspects are likely to be arrested.
She pleaded for her release while covering herself, to present journalists from taking photographs of her face.
The suspect is said to have pretended to be a patient who agreed to help a father hold one his twins before disappearing minutes later.
Kemunto’s neighbour in Kongo area, Kawangware, is said to have called police after seeing her arrive with the baby yet she lost her unborn child months ago.
