Kisumu woman to defend herself over alleged child theft

A woman accused of taking a three-year-old child from her mother’s home in Kisumu is expected to defend herself after a court found sufficient evidence to proceed with the case.Lenah Kadika Amayu, 44, was ordered to give her side of the story by Chief Magistrate Denis Kipkirui Mikoyan following the testimony of four prosecution witnesses and the presentation of several exhibits.The prosecution alleges that Amayu, together with other suspects who are still at large, took the child from the mother’s care on November 25, 2025, in Nyalenda, Kisumu Central Sub-County.Court proceedings revealed that the accused had reportedly arrived at the mother’s home the previous evening seeking shelter, despite the two women not knowing each other before.The child’s mother told the court that Amayu gained her confidence by claiming they knew each other through church activities.On the morning of the incident, the mother reportedly left the child under Amayu’s care after she offered to babysit as the mother went to work.However, when the mother returned, she allegedly found both the woman and her child missing. She later reported the incident to the police, leading to Amayu’s arrest.Amayu faces charges of trafficking in persons and, alternatively, child stealing. She is also accused of stealing household items belonging to the child’s mother.The prosecution further presented information linking the accused to an earlier child-stealing case at Winam Law Courts, where the child involved was eventually recovered.Despite the court’s latest decision, Amayu has pleaded not guilty to the charges. She will now have an opportunity to present her defence as the case proceeds