Man denies he fathered child in paternity suit

By PATRICK KIBET

A pharmacist locked in a paternity suit has strongly contested results from the Government Chemist indicating he is the father of a three-year-old girl.

46-year-old Dr John Ndegwa who is in-charge of Nyeri County and facing a child maintenance suit before Nakuru children’s court is alleged to have fathered a child with Beatrice Wanja during a three-year relationship.

Testifying before Senior Resident Magistrate Judicaster Nthuku, Wanja told the court she had no doubt Ndegwa was the biological father of her daughter. She said she first met Ndegwa at Provincial General Hospital in 2004 while she was working as a computer technician in Nakuru. She added that they got into a relationship and broke up in 2007.

She said since Ndegwa was her child’s biological father he should meet the cost of maintenance of her daughter, which amounted to Sh54,000. “I am seeking maintenance for the child that is food (Sh15,000), rent (Sh9,000), house help (Sh4,000), clothing (Sh5,000), entertainment (Sh10,000), medical expenses (Sh12,000) and (Sh2000) for water and electricity,” she said.

She told the court she was self-employed with an income of Sh20,000 and could not raise the girl alone. Ndegwa strongly contested the report by Government analyst Henry Kiptoo that showed 99.99 per cent probability he was the father of the minor.

Ndegwa produced evidence challenging the integrity of the State chemist and quoted incidents where results had been challenged. He told the court he was never in any relationship with Wanja and on December 4, 2009, after a night out he found Wanja in his bedroom.