A woman pleaded with a court in Nakuru to throw away her manslaughter case on the grounds that she was depressed when committing the offence.
On Friday, November 18, the defence lawyers argued that the woman, who was charged with poisoning her three children, should be released on probation.
Two of the three children who consumed the poison survived, but her six-year-old daughter died while under medical care.
“During the inquiry, it was confirmed that the accused was going through hardships and psychological imbalance.
"Her marriage had just ended, and when she returned to her family, her father did not want her there,” read the probation report.
The suspect's lawyer thus argued that she was not in the right state of mind when she killed her daughter.
An autopsy conducted by government pathologists revealed that the deceased died due to oxygen deprivation from the poisoning.
It was reported that she was pregnant with a fourth child when she committed the offence at their home in Keringet, Kuresoi North, on August 13, 2019.
The court learnt that the accused had left her residence for her parent's home with the three children aged twelve, eight and six after a disagreement with her husband.
She reportedly poisoned her children while on her way, and by the time they arrived at their grandmother’s house, the medicine had taken effect on the children. Her father, however, intervened and called the neighbours who rushed the victims to a hospital after conducting first-aid.
The suspect who earlier admitted to poisoning her children denied murder charges and entered a plea bargain. The prosecution consented to her plea, and the charges were eventually reduced to manslaughter.
Her lawyers want her to be placed under custodial care or a lighter sentence depending on the termination of the case. The prosecution, however, wants the court to sentence her to five years in jail.
The presiding judge will rule on the case on Wednesday, December 14.
