Three suspects have been found guilty of causing grievous harm to Baby Junior Sagini, the three-year-old child whose eyes were gouged out in December last year at Ikuruma Village in Kisii County.

Kisii Law Courts Senior Resident Magistrate Christine Ogweno who delivered the judgment on Friday said the three suspects including the baby’s grandmother, aunt, and cousin were found culpable of the gruesome offense.

The prosecution side has applied for a sentencing date, whose ruling is slated for 21st July 2023.

The three suspects Rael Nyakerario (Grandmother), Alex Ochogo (Cousin) and Pacificah Nyakerario (Aunt) had on January 18 been charged with attempted murder which later changed to causing grievous bodily harm according to Section 4 of the Penal Code after Prosecutor Hillary Kaino made an application to the court to amend the charges.

During a virtual cross-examination in March, Sagini said that his grandmother gouged out his eyes using her hands and dumped him at a maize plantation.

Sagini's sister told the court that on December 13, 2022, they went to the river to fetch water as usual, but Sagini did not turn up since he lost his water jerrican.

She explained how they went on with their daily chores but on the following day, someone told their grandmother that Baby Sagini was found dumped in a maize plantation.

They went to search for him, and later police officers came and took the baby to the hospital to seek medication.

Daniel Nyameino, a clinician at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital, told the court that he received a medical report on December 29, 2022, from Rioma Station of Baby Sagini and after examining him, he established that the baby was assaulted by unknown people between 13 and 14 December 2022.

He said that Baby Sagini had scratch marks which might have been caused by more than one person and had sustained severe injuries.

According to Nyameino, the eyes were gouged out, the eyelids were dark and there was leakage like an ointment from the eyes.

The clinician proceeded to separated the eyelids and mounted a bandage on the eyes.

He further said that Baby Sagini had bruises below his right eye 1cm long and scratch marks on the neck caused by a sharp object.

The baby was further transferred to Kisii Eye Hospital for specialized medical attention and his eyelids were prepared and recommended to be taken to blind school since his eyes were permanently damaged.

Josephine Karimi, the caregiver taking care of Sagini and his sister, told the court that the minors have improved from the status they were at first.

Karemi said that the minors have undergone psychosocial support and have improved from the torture they were subjected to.

She also told the court that when she received them, the children were very violent, using abusive language that showed that they were brought up in a hostile environment.