Eldoret woman admits buying child for Sh30,500, claims she was childless
Rift Valley
By
Peter Ochieng
| Oct 09, 2025
A woman accused of kidnapping a six-year-old boy in May of last year told an Eldoret court that she purchased the child for Sh 30,500 from a willing seller.
Monicah Kwamboka urged Principal Magistrate Kesse Cheronoh to release her so she could bring forward the woman who sold her the child.
During the hearing, Abscondita Azenge, the alleged biological mother of the boy, was reunited with her son at the Law Court.
The court heard that the child was stolen on May 16, 2024, in Langas, an informal settlement in Eldoret City.
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He was later trafficked to Kisii County, where he was cared for by Kwamboka, the accused.
Azenge recounted her year-long search for her lost son across various parts of the country.
“I am at a loss for words; I cannot believe my boy is alive. Thank you, God, for answering my prayers! When my child went missing, I reported the matter to the Langas Police Station last year, and I can truly say my prayers were answered on Monday,” Azenge said.
She continued, “I received a call from the police instructing me to come in. They showed me a photograph of a boy and asked if he was my lost son. At first, I lost my strength, but I later confirmed he was my son,” she recalled, tears streaming down her face.
The middle-aged mother assured the court she was the boy's biological mother and expressed her willingness to provide a blood sample for a DNA test to confirm their relationship.
Kwamboka, on the other hand, confessed to committing an offense, admitting that the child was not her biological son.
She claimed she had purchased him from a woman referred to her by her aunt.
Kwamboka’s confession came after her arrest by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Nyamira County, following a tip-off that led to the recovery of the stolen child.
When asked by Magistrate Cheronoh whether the boy was her child, Kwamboka replied, “Your Honor, honestly, I bought the boy for Sh 30,500. This happened after I spent over six years without having a child in my marriage, which led my husband to chase me away. This forced me to return to my parents' home, where I met my aunt, who convinced me to pursue this deal."
Kwamboka explained that her troubles began when she lost her firstborn child and had not given birth again after entering into another marriage.
She stated that her aunt arranged a meeting between her and the seller from Langas estate in Eldoret City, due to neglect from her husband’s family.
“Your Honor, please understand that I did not steal the minor. My aunt told me it was either that or I remain childless. She identified a woman who was willing to sell her baby for Sh 30,500 in Uasin Gishu County,” she said.
The prosecution filed a request with the court for a DNA test to be conducted on both the accused and the alleged biological mother to determine the child’s paternity before the court makes its ruling.
Kwamboka agreed to the DNA tests but pleaded with the court to allow her to bring the mastermind of the syndicate to justice.
The court directed that DNA tests be conducted on both women—the accused and the alleged biological mother—at the government chemist in Kisumu County.
Magistrate Cheronoh also ordered that the minor be held in a rescue centre after consulting both parties to avoid further complications.
“Following what we have heard from both sides, we have agreed that the minor will be escorted to a private rescue centre in Pioneer estate, and the biological mother will have unlimited access to the child until the results are available. After that, she will either be allowed to take him home or he will be handed over to the other mother,” ruled Cheronoh.
The magistrate ordered that the accused be held at Langas Police Station until October 29, when the case will be mentioned.