Nandi: Police in Nandi are investigating a seven-month-old baby theft incident which happened in a rental property at Kamatargui Estate, a few kilometres from Kapsabet town.
According to Kenya News Agency, investigating police are pursuing a suspect who sought a tea harvesting job but later disappeared with the baby and property belonging to one Agnes Jerop. Jerop, 20, who completed her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education last year and is staying with her parents, narrated to the police how the suspect, within a short time, got a casual tea plucking job from a neighbour before stealing her baby, Johnson Dida Ochieng, and property of unknown value two weeks ago.
Jerop stated, “I left my baby to the new neighbour who was only two weeks old to take care of my baby in our residence as I went to the river to wash clothes but upon returning, I was shocked that my baby and my entire property was missing.”
Shocked Jerop’s family members and neighbours have asked the security agencies to speed up the probe for the child after their two-week search efforts bore no fruit, with others calling for the police to investigate Jerop’s lover.
Kapsabet town Police Commander Moris Okul confirmed that investigations have started, urging neighbours and members of the public to volunteer information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect. Okul advised employers and house rental property owners to conduct due diligence and background checks on potential tenants before allowing them into their property. “You should be careful before renting out your property to strangers. Let them give you copies of national identities so that we can help the police in case of such incidents,” he said.