Thursday, September 2, 2004
Baby trafficking is focus of probe at Kenya hospital
By TOM MALITI
The Associated Press
NAIROBI, Kenya — Investigators are focusing on Kenya's main maternity hospital, police said yesterday, after allegations that some parents were told their newborns had died but the babies were really stolen by an international child-trafficking ring.
Five people, including the wife of a London-based Kenyan preacher, were released on bail yesterday after pleading not guilty to charges involving two infants. Self-proclaimed archbishop Gilbert Deya had claimed the two were among children born as the result of miracles he performed on infertile women.
One of the babies was stolen in February from Nairobi's Pumwani Maternity Hospital and "it is the center of our investigations," police spokesman Jaspher Ombati said. No hospital employee has been charged so far.
Since the five suspects were detained last month, many couples have come forward seeking to claim the 20 children found with the suspects, saying their children disappeared from the hospital, Ombati told The Associated Press. DNA tests found that at least 17 of the children were not related to the adults arrested, authorities said....
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