“Kenyan Hospital Employee Convicted of Child Trafficking After Selling Baby on Black Market”
Fred Leparan, a hospital worker at Mama Lucy Kibaki hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, has been found guilty of child trafficking following an undercover investigation by the BBC. The investigation revealed Leparan accepting $2,500 to facilitate the sale of a baby boy from the hospital. He was arrested in 2020 and charged with child theft alongside another hospital employee, Selina Awour, who was convicted of three counts of child neglect but acquitted of child trafficking. The pair is scheduled for sentencing on September 26.
Undercover Investigation Uncovers Child Trafficking
An Africa Eye reporter posed as a potential buyer and arranged a meeting with Leparan, who agreed to sell the baby boy without thorough background checks. On the day the baby was supposed to be transferred to a government-run children’s home, Leparan falsified transfer paperwork to conceal the baby’s departure. While all three children were eventually delivered to the children’s home as planned, Leparan amended the paperwork, falsely indicating that only two children were transferred.
Lengthy Legal Battle and Ongoing Child Trafficking Concerns
The case against Leparan took more than two years to conclude due to a robust legal defense. Despite evidence against him, Leparan initially denied his involvement, attempting to attribute the voice in the undercover footage to someone else. However, he later admitted to some of the words being his own. The investigation also revealed that multiple children had gone missing from the hospital in just two months.
Child Trafficking Challenges in Kenya
Child trafficking remains a significant issue in Kenya, driven by cultural stigmas surrounding infertility, complex adoption procedures, and a demand for stolen children. While new laws strengthening child protection have been implemented in Kenya, authorities and activists believe further action is necessary to combat child trafficking effectively. Vulnerable children, often from low-income families, are at the greatest risk of being abducted or trafficked.
Call for Collective Effort to Protect Children
Child protection advocates in Kenya emphasize the importance of collective efforts to safeguard children. The head of Missing Child Kenya, Maryana Munyendo, highlights that children from slum areas remain vulnerable, with her organization receiving an average of three missing child reports daily. Calls for new laws obligating the public to report suspicions of child abuse or abduction have been made to enhance child protection efforts in the country.
SOURCE: Ref Image from The Daily Maverick
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