Machakos woman gives birth in court after acquittal in son's murder case

Virginia Mbinya Maingi was arrested on March 25, 2024, in Kinyaata location, Machakos County after the suspicious death of her son.

She was arraigned in court on March 27, 2024, where she faced murder charges. 

The court ordered a heavily pregnant Virginia to be detained at Matuu police station, awaiting further investigations by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). 

On Monday, April 16, the accused was arraigned in court, where Principal Magistrate Paul Matanda acquitted her in the alleged murder of her son. 

Investigators, after a medical examination, established that the baby had died of starvation. 

Shortly after the acquittal, Virginia developed labour pains at the court premises, sending court clerks into panic, looking for lesos to cover her up.

The court officers immediately called nurses from the nearby Kithimani dispensary, who safely delivered Virginia’s baby girl. 

After her condition was stable, the mother and her baby girl were taken to her rural home aboard a police vehicle from Matuu station. 

Virginia was heavily pregnant during her arrest.