Claimants of ‘Miracle Babies’ Fail DNA Tests

The Nation, Kenya/November 4, 2004
By Dominic Wabala

None of the 53 couples who laid claim to 21 "miracle" babies are their parents.

The results of DNA tests by the Government Chemist brought to an end two and a half months of waiting for the babies born to women allegedly after evangelist Gilbert Deya prayed for them. However, samples have been taken for more rigorous tests abroad to confirm the findings.

Archbishop Deya is currently being investigated over child trafficking claims.

A source close to the investigations revealed that officials from the government chemist spent the better part of Tuesday compiling a detailed report of the DNA results which was then handed over to the Director of Medical Services, Dr James Nyikal. The report was later forwarded to the CID headquarters and later to the AG’s office.

Investigators fear the results might weaken the case against Archbishop Deya and the police are now seeking the advice of legal experts and the Attorney-General’s office.

“The children’s parents are unknown as of now. We hope their real parents will come forward. What we are sure of is that there is no kind of relationship between Michael and Eddah Odera,” the investigators said.

Thirteen children were found in the Odera’s home at Komarock estate home on 17th August. The other eight were seized from the Mountain View estate home of evangelist Gilbert Deya and his wife Mary several days later. “After the DNA testing, one of the children was found to belong to the Deyas,” the source said.

None of the children seized from the Odera’s have any biological links with them, the DNA tests also proved.

Two weeks ago, the police asked the government chemist to repeat the tests on samples taken from seven of the 53 parents laying claim to the children.

Out of the 53, 15 of the claimants were laying claim to 11 of the 21 children. While some of the children have more than one claimant, others are yet to be identified by names other than those given by Mrs Deya and the Odera’s.

Investigators have also sought to have Archbishop Deya repatriated to Kenya from Britain to assist them in their investigations.

Mrs Lucy Mbugua and her husband are claiming one of the children. The couple’s one year old son went missing from their Njokerio home, Njoro, in 2002.

Another is Duncan Muli Munyao who lost his son in Kibera in 2001. The boy would be six-years-old now.

Another couple is Tobias Otieno Ochanda and wife Elizabeth Akinyi Ajowi from Huruma Ngei whose baby allegedly died at Ochieng Grace Clinic/Lucy Medical clinic and maternity on July 20. This is the same day Ms Miriam Nyieko allegedly gave birth at the clinic. Ms Nyieko has since been arrested and is facing charges of child theft.

The DNA tests indicated that Ms Nyieko could not possibly be the biological mother of a baby she named Daniel Omiyo Nyieko.

Mr Josiah Ouma Onyango and his wife Jennifer Achieng Auma whose nine year old son Jack disappeared from their Komarock estate home also claimed one of the children as did Dandora residents Lilian Akoth and husband Luke Nyangoto whose three year old son has been missing since July 2002.

An elderly woman, Ms Esther Nduku Wambura travelled all the way from Limuru in search of her four year old grandchild whose mentally ill mother Ms Pauline Kanini lost in the city’s Mukuru slums area.

Ms Catherine Kajuju Gerald and her husband Mr Gerald Muthoni M’Kinyua will be the most devastated by the results. Once they heard that police had seized the “miracle babies from two couples” the couple travelled all the way from Meru district’s Nthimbiri village and identified the child whom they had christened Hardy Kaimeny. The child even ran to them when they showed up at the children’s home where he and the other children have been staying since they were rescued.

Ms Lucy Wamaitha Ondieki gave birth at the Nakuru Provincial hospital on 28th October, 1998 to a baby boy whom she named Christopher Ihugo. She was claiming one of the children found at the Oderas residence is her baby who disappeared aged five years.

Ms Ruth Kasiva Mutinda delivered her baby Bahati Muli on 25th November, 1996 at Tawa hospital but he disappeared mysteriously.

Other parents expected to be devastated by the DNA results are Ms Ruth Wanjiru Kiragu who lost her baby at birth in Pumwani maternity hospital on 26th February, 2002.

Ms Elizabeth Njeri Njenga’s baby girl also went missing from the same hospital on February 5, this year while Ms Doreen Makena’s baby had also disappeared from the same hospital on 31 December, 2002.

Others whose babies went missing are Jane Wanjiku Nyaga (10th October, 1993), Esther Mukami Wanjiku (27th February, 2002), Rahab Wanjiru Kariuki (January 31, 2004), Caroline Auma (September 7,2001), Virginia Wairimu Muhika (January 12, 2003), Anastasia Wairimu (April 29, 2004), Abigail Laboi (December 21, 1996), Grace Wambui Njenga (May 7, 2000), Philis Mugure Kinyua (September 27, 1999), Mary Wanjiku Mwai (March 17, 2003) Grace Wanjiru in (September,1998) and Hannah Wanjiku Kariuki.

These are some of the 47 couples police will be hard put to explain how the DNA tests have not confirmed as genuine claimants.

Sixteen of the 47 claimants lost their children at Pumwani Maternity Hospital after birth.

Meanwhile, the Odera’s were yesterday charged afresh with the theft of ten children.

The Odera’s who denied the charges when they appeared before chief magistrate Aggrey Muchelule are liable for a seven year jail term if convicted.

Child theft is described in the law as the deprivation of a lawful parent or guardian of any child under 14 years.

Mrs Odera got a rude shock when police officers in civilian clothes pounced on her and arrested her at the entrance of the Nairobi Law Courts.

She was coming to courts to attend the hearing of another case in which they were accused of stealing Christopher Ihugo Mbugua from his mother, Ms Lucy Wamaitha Ondieki, at Njokerio Farm, Njoro, on January 21, 2000.

In a fresh charge presented in court yesterday the two were accused that on diverse dates between May 20, 2002 and August 17, 2004 at Komarock estate jointly with others not before the court with intent to deprive an unknown parent the lawful charge of unnamed child alias Daniel Gilbert Wasonga, harboured the child knowing him to have been taken or enticed away.

On second count the couple is accused of harbouring unnamed child alias John William Okoth knowing him to have been enticed away. They allegedly committed the offence between June 22, 1999 and August 16, 2004 at Komarock.

They faced a third count of harbouring unnamed child alias Mary Adhiambo between May 26, 2000 and August 16, 2004 knowing her to have been detained or enticed away.

Mr Odera and his wife Eddah faced other counts of harbouring James Albert Juma, Simon Peter Siaw, Rachel Patricia Achieng, Grace Veronica Akeyo, Ruth Elizabeth Apiyo, Jackline Apondi Odera and Sarah Amollo Odera between December 23, 2000 and August 16, 2004 at Nairobi’s Komarock estate.

The two were given Sh1million bond each with one surety in same amount or Sh500,000 bond each plus two sureties in same amount.

They were arrested more than a month ago and 11 children found at their house in Nairobi’s Komarock estate. The children, said to have been born through the power of prayer, were taken away by police.

Nine others - also said to have been products of parthenogenesis (virgin birth) - were removed from Mrs Deya’s house in Mountain View estate, Nairobi.

The case will come up for hearing on January 27, 2005.