Two suspects are set to appear in court on March 6, 2019, following the alleged abduction of a nine-month-old girl from her father in Saika, Nairobi. The case came to light after Timon Makswell, the child's father, posted a desperate plea on Facebook on February 27, 2019, detailing his struggle to retain custody of his daughter, Tamara.
The post gained traction on KOT with the hashtag #JusticeForBabyTamara, prompting the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to intervene. A DCI statement confirmed the child's safe return, stating the suspects were in custody and scheduled for arraignment the following day.
Makswell revealed that Tamara had been under his care since her mother, Rena, died in October 2018 due to complications from a cesarean section. He claimed his late wife had explicitly instructed him to keep the child away from her relatives, a warning she reiterated before her death. Despite this, Makswell alleged that his wife's sister, Annette Kimuomi, and her uncle colluded with police officers at Spring Valley station to seize the child.
According to Makswell, officers at the station threatened to shoot him after Kimuomi falsely claimed Rena had died of HIV and that Tamara was born positive. "They told me I should hand over the child to avoid harm," he stated. Despite his initial resistance, Makswell eventually surrendered Tamara due to persistent threats.
In a lengthy Facebook post, Makswell expressed deep remorse, apologizing to his late wife for failing to protect their daughter. He also disclosed that a relative had informed him his in-laws planned to exploit Tamara for fundraising, a tactic they had allegedly used with two other children.
Under Section 257 of the Penal Code, kidnapping a child from lawful guardianship carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.
