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Sioni pesa ya chang’aa ikikusaidia, Siaya judge tells mother of five

 

A mother in Siaya is on the verge of losing the custody of her five young children for engaging in the sale of chang'aa and bhang. 

Justice Lester Simiyu on Monday directed children and probation officers to investigate whether the State would be justified in relieving the mother of the right to care for the children after she pleaded guilty to selling the illegal substances and cigarettes.

The court heard that Elizabeth Akoth was nabbed at her home in Karapul with several litres of chang’aa, a broom of bang and 40 rolls of illegal cigarettes.

The items were produced in court as exhibits.

But the frail and shaggy-looking Akoth appeared in court with a sleepy toddler on her lap, prompting the judge to inquire whether the baby was hers.

Akoth admitted that she is the mother of the baby and four others, the first born being an eleven-year-old in Grade 5.

The culprit told the court that her husband traveled to Nairobi to look for a job but he never returned, several months down the line.

"I resorted to selling these things (chang’aa, illegal cigarettes and bhang) to feed and school my children," Akoth said.

Three of her children, she said, are school-going.

However, Justice Simiyu dismissed her corroboration saying from the look of things, the illegal venture wasn't economically beneficial to her.

"Sioni pesa ya chang’aa ikikusaidia (I don’t see how proceeds from chang'aa have helped you).

"You don't even look healthy yourself,” Simiyu pointed out.

Akoth pleaded with the court not to take her children away from her and vowed to never deal in the sale of the illegal substances again.

The judge said that the probation and children officers needed to visit her home Monday to ascertain the validity of her claims.

"It will be worse if you lie to court that the child on your lap is yours so better be truthful. The probation officers will do home assessment ahead of the mention of the case tomorrow, August 30,” Justice Simiyu ruled.

"If we find the home not safe to your children," she explained, "then we will withdraw them without apology because we do not want your children to join your customers," she added.    BY THE STAR  

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