Gilbert Deya's wife jailed over miracle babies

Kenya Times/May 31, 2007
By John Osoro

The wife of controversial UK televangelist Gilbert Deya and two other women were yesterday jailed for a period of two years, after the court found them guilty of stealing a child.

Resident Magistrate Teresia Ngugi sentenced Mary Deya, Miriam Nyeko and Rose Kiserem for an offence of stealing a child below the age of fourteen.

The Magistrate said the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that the trio had conspired to steal the minor whom they took into their custody unlawfully.

She said there was sufficient evidence produced by the prosecution to sustain the criminal indictment of the accused persons. Archbishop Deya claims he has spiritual powers to enable women conceive through prayers, what has popularly been known as miracle babies.

There is a warrant of arrest against Deya pending in a Kenyan court acquired by police investigating an alleged child trafficking and smuggling racket between Kenya and Britain.

One of the convicted, Mrs Nyeko, is a Ugandan born British citizen while her two accomplices are Kenyans accused of theft that took place sometime in July and August 2004. The court said DNA tests and evidence adduced in court clearly showed the child belonged to another parent and that the defence did not prove whether the child belonged to either Mrs Deya or the other accused persons.

Mrs Ngugi said there is no amount of sentence that can undo the damages and actions on the life of the child. "The infant will never know who its true parents are," she said. Defence lawyers Kiraithe Wandungi and Cliff Ombeta said they will appeal the ruling.