A 23-year-old woman charged with manslaughter following the death of her one-year-old son has been granted a KSh500,000 bond by an Eldoret court, with no option of cash bail.
Tolhista Aujet appeared before Chief Magistrate Peter Ndwiga, where she denied unlawfully causing the death of her child, who was found dead inside their one-room rental house in Kingongo, on the outskirts of Eldoret.
Aujet is accused of causing her son’s death on September 26, 2026, an offence charged under Section 202 as read with Section 205 of the Penal Code.
In his ruling, Magistrate Ndwiga directed the accused, who was not represented by a lawyer, to secure a bond of KSh500,000 with one contact person.
The magistrate declined to grant her cash bail, citing the nature of the offence. He further directed that if she failed to meet the bond terms, she would be remanded at Eldoret GK Women’s Remand Prison as she awaits trial.
The charge follows an incident in which the child was reportedly found dead in the family’s rented room, with allegations that severe neglect and suspected starvation may have contributed to his death. The circumstances surrounding the child’s death are expected to be examined as the case proceeds through court.
According to the account of the incident, residents raised the alarm after hearing distress cries from the child. They reportedly forced open the door to the room and found the boy unresponsive, only to discover that he had died.
Residents later searched for Aujet and reportedly found her at a drinking establishment in the Kingongo area. The discovery sparked anger, with members of the public accusing her of leaving the child unattended.
The situation escalated as an enraged crowd allegedly attacked her using kicks and crude weapons, threatening to lynch her.
Police officers from Huruma Police Station, who were on routine patrol in the area, intervened and rescued Aujet from the crowd. She was arrested over the alleged offence and taken to Eldoret Central Police Station for processing before being presented in court.
Reports surrounding the incident allege that Aujet had left the child locked inside the room while she was away for two days. However, the allegations have yet to be tested in court, and she remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The child’s body was taken to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital morgue, where it is awaiting a postmortem examination to establish the cause of death.
The court proceedings will determine the circumstances of the child’s death and whether the prosecution can prove the manslaughter charge against Aujet.
The matter returns to court on November 2, when the court is expected to give further directions on the case.
