Baby Sagini: Police intensify hunt for attackers who gouged out 3-year-old boy's eyes in Kisii

As baby Sagini embarks on the journey to recovery after he was kidnapped and his eyes gouged out, police have been combing Ikuruma village in Kisii County recording statements and looking for clues on what may have transpired.

Baby Sagini's father, grandmother and 7-year-old sibling recorded their statements with the police on Saturday.

Kisii sub-county Police Commander Benjoulife Munuve says they are looking for the two missing eyes, as well as the location where the atrocious act was committed.

Baby Sagini was found in a neighbour’s maize farm, six hours after he went missing.

“Macho hatujapata. Jicho moja ilikuwa imetolewa vibaya, ni kama imekatika...lakini ile ingine imetolewa kwa ustadi sana, and the way the doctors are saying, imetolewa na mtu anajua what he was doing. Sio ajabu ilikua imetolewa looking for organs,” Mr. Munuve said.

DCI and Crime Unit officers deployed to the village after news of the attack are searching for answers and questioning residents.

Police noted that there was no blood where the child was found, leading to the conclusion that baby Sagini's eyes were likely removed elsewhere before he was left on a neighbour's farm.

The detectives also visited the Kisii eye hospital to engage the child in their quest for answers on what transpired.

“My officers are still out, they are recording statements from the members of the public and they are giving us fruitful information which may lead to the arrest of the suspect. Huenda by the end of the day we may get a suspect,” the police boss added.

Doctors say baby Sagini was stable but had been condemned to permanent blindness by the attack.

They conducted the first surgery on him, aimed at managing the wounds and preventing infection and the likelihood of spreading an infection to the rest of his body.

He is expected to undergo a second operation to clean debris from the wounds in his eye socket and prevent the risk of infection from spreading to the rest of his body.

His aunt was bemused by the turn of events and how such an occurrence could happen during what was an otherwise normal day on Thursday. The child went missing as he went to fetch water from a nearby river with his sister.

“Ilikuwa saa kumi na moja ikiendelea mpaka usiki…wakaanza kutafuta mtoto, hawakumpata. Ndio mtoto wa ndugu yangu akaenda akaita nyanya akamwambia tumepata mtoto kwa shamba hana macho,” Mary kemunto, baby Sagini’s aunt recounted.

Ikuruma villagers expressed shock at what had happened, this occurrence was a first for them. They asked the police to expedite the investigation

“Ni vibaya sana kungoa mtoto macho. Mtoto alizaliwa akiwa na macho na sasa amelemaa haoni... ni vibaya na serikali haijachukua hatua yeyote,” Beatrice Moraa, a villager said.

Police say it is only a matter of time before they start making arrests as investigations continue.