A man who threw her two-month-old baby occasioning her actual bodily harm, following an argument with his wife has been charged.
Hesbone Otieno Aloo, who appeared before Mombasa Senior Resident Magistrate Rita Orora pleaded guilty to charges of subjecting a child to cruel treatment contrary to section 18(1) of the children’s Act Number 8 of 2001.
The magistrate, who expressed shock at the act, interrogated the suspect on why he would harm an innocent helpless child.
“Kindly tell me what transpired, why would you hurt a helpless child? What did they do to you to deserve this type of treatment?”Posed the magistrate.
Man asks for forgiveness
In a quick reply, Aloo informed the court that his actions were triggered by late-night calls to his wife from stranger numbers.
“I felt irritated by my wife's frequent calls at night. She would pick up the calls in the middle of the night and excuse herself. I suspect she has been talking to other men. I felt bad about all the calls and I ask for your forgiveness,” he pleaded.
However, the court was unable to sentence the suspect after prosecution counsel Yassir Mohamed requested the facts of the case to be read on Thursday.
The particulars are that on January 1 at Mweza area in Likoni sub-county, Aloo negligently subjected a child aged two months to cruel treatment by grabbing and throwing her away thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.
He is further facing a second count of stepping on the head of his 3-year-old child, thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.
The matter will be mentioned on Thursday, January 5 for sentencing.
