70-year-old grandmother sentenced to 5-year jail term for killing twin babies

The Marsabit High Court hs on Friday sentenced a 70-year-old grandmother to five years in prison after finding her guilty of murdering newborn twin babies in Dololo Boji village, Dukana sub-county, North Horr Constituency.

Konso Isacko Godana was found guilty, with the evidence linking the deaths to a traditional belief within the Gabra community which views firstborn twins as ‘bad omen.’

While delivering the judgment, Marsabit High Court Judge Francis Rayola stated that the evidence presented in court proved that the woman was indeed involved in the gruesome murders.

The woman admitted to the charges and pleaded for forgiveness, claiming she committed the act without knowing it was against the law.

However, Judge Rayola, while issuing the sentence, said the punishment should serve as a warning to others who continue to practice harmful and unlawful cultural traditions in society.

According to the evidence submitted in court, the twins – a boy and a girl – were born on January 19, 2025, and are believed to have died from suffocation, barely a day after their mother was discharged from the hospital.

The convict has 14 days to appeal the sentence.