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Three middle-aged women among them two employees of a private hospital were yesterday arraigned in an Eldoret court in connection with child trafficking-related offences.

The accused, Brenda Cheptoo, Rael Nyaboke and Clanca Njeri appeared before Eldoret Senior Resident Magistrate Barnabas Kiptoo and were charged with trafficking four children aged between seven months and five years.

They were, however, not allowed to take plea after the prosecution applied for more time to complete investigations into the alleged child trafficking scam linked to the three women.

They were arrested in Eldoret town four days ago by police officers attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and locked up in a police cell at Naiberi Police Station in Ainabkoi sub-county Ua-sin Gishu county.

According to court documents, the first and second accused are employees of Eldoret-based Fountain Health Care hospital while the third accused is an accomplice in the alleged child trafficking syndicate. 

While opposing their application to be freed on bond, the investigating officer Inspector Joyce Thunge, attached to DCI, Ainabkoi Sub-county police told the magistrate that they were flight risk. She said Cheptoo is in charge of  the hospital records while Nyaboke works there as a nutritionist.

Thunge brought to the attention of the court their intent to subject the four children to DNA tests with a view to establishing their biological parents. Thunge further stated they are yet to record statements from key witnesses in the child trafficking case.

“Your honour we pray that the three suspects be detained in police custody for 21 days to enable us to complete investigations into the child trafficking offence and they are also likely to interfere with investigations if granted bond/bail,” she said.