A 26-year-old woman who was accused of stealing a baby boy in Homa Bay town has been released on Sh800,000 bond with two sureties of a similar amount.
Agnes Atieno Onyango appeared in a Homa Bay court on Friday morning.
Resident Magistrate Beatrice Toroitich issued the bond after Atieno denied the charges.
The suspect who was hired as a house help was accused of stealing the child from his parent's home in Sango, Arujo within Homa Bay.
The incident occurred on Tuesday around 8:30 am when the child's parents Abdul Aziz Ali and Sahia Adan left for work.
Atieno was accused of stealing the baby boy with the intention of making his parents not access and take care of him.
The suspect had earlier agreed for the court to read her charges without a lawyer.
“We understand the right to a bond and bail for a suspect but are limited to certain circumstances. The court is convinced that the accused is at flight risk and should be given stringent bond,” Toroitich ruled.
Earlier the prosecution Rachael Amala asked the courts to provide the stringent bond on the grounds that Atieno was a flight risk.
She argued that the suspect was arrested as she was crossing the border between Kenya and Tanzania trying to escape with the stolen baby.
“Let the court provide someone who will avail the accused in court since she is a flight risk,” Amala said.
The magistrate ordered the children's office in Homa Bay to prepare Social Inquiry Report and Protection and Care File for the minor.
The case will be mentioned on August 8 while the hearing has been scheduled for August 16.
Atieno is reported to have been intercepted by security officers and Ali's friends in Migori after she alighted with the baby from a public service vehicle they boarded.