Poverty pushed me to abort 7-month-old foetus, woman tells court

A 23-year-old woman who procured an abortion causing the death of a seven-month-old foetus at Turbo Sub-County in Uasin Gishu has pleaded guilty to the offence in an Eldoret court.

Lilian Kimani, who pleaded guilty before Senior Principal Magistrate Harrison Barasa, is said to have aborted the baby and dumped it in a bucket in her house.

According to the charge sheet, Kimani locked herself inside her house for two days. She is said to have committed the offence on February 20 at Premier Estate within Turbo Sub-County.

This raised suspicion from neighbours who called officers from Turbo police station.  

Police said the foetus was wrapped in a piece of cloth and dumped in a bucket.

The accused was remanded at the Eldoret Women's Prison awaiting pre-sentencing report. She appeared remorseful during her mitigation.

Kimani said she swallowed the abortion pills because she is poor and didn't know how she would bring up the child.   

“Your honour, I beg for forgiveness. I will not repeat what I did. Poverty and rejection forced me to terminate my seven-month pregnancy,” she told the magistrate.

The magistrate said what she did is equivalent to strangling a human being and she should not use poverty to justify her action.

Kimani will be sentenced on March 13.