'Miracle Babies' Couple in Court Today

The couple at the centre of the so-called miracle babies saga is expected to appear in court today to answer charges of baby theft, abduction and drug trafficking.

And sources close to the investigation confirmed to the East African Standard yesterday that the charges against Michael Odera and his wife Eddah are ready.

The sources further said that the Oderas will be charged alongside two British nationals of Ugandan descent Miriam Nyeko and Rose Kiserem.

The suspects were arrested three weeks ago after police launched investigations into the "miracle babies" saga. But the sources said the case of the prime suspect in the matter, Mrs Mary Deya, is still under investigation.

Mary is the wife of London-based preacher Gilbert Deya of the Deya Ministries. Deya, a multi-millionaire, has said he will not be coming to Kenya and last week pronounced a curse on President Kibaki and Attorney-General Amos Wako.

His wife is still in custody and police sources said investigators are awaiting the results of DNA tests carried out on her and the children found in her Mountain View residence before they can proceed to prosecute.

Other sources said the Oderas had confessed to handling stolen children but claimed that they do not know where the children originated from.

So far, 17 out of the 50 couples that have turned up at the CID headquarters claiming to be parents to the 21 children say they lost their babies at Nairobi's Pumwani Maternity Hospital.

The couples claim nurses at the hospital informed them that their babies had died soon after they were born. Police say they have launched investigations into the accusations against the hospital.

The suspects had moved to court last week seeking to be set free as they were held unconstitutionally, but the State argued that they were under investigation and would appear in court as soon as they were completed.

Police are holding the five since the investigations begun and after it was discovered that they were illegally keeping children whose parents are not known.

The Oderas had said they had the 13 children born to them in a span of five years through prayers and without engaging in sex.

This followed revelations by British police that they were investigating Deya and his Ministry regarding possible child trafficking.

Mary then came out and led the Oderas in claiming that they had been blessed with miracle births following prayers and faith. The Oderas showed the media the 11 babies as Deya defended the 'miracles' from London.

Police later invaded the Oderas' residence in Nairobi's Komarock Estate and seized the children and arrested the couple. Eddah claimed at the time that she was expectant, but a pregnancy test proved negative.

The detectives took DNA samples from the babies and the Oderas as they tried to establish their relationship. Last week results showed there was no biological link between the children and the Oderas.

The officers also seized nine more children from the Deyas' Mountain View residence before arresting Mary and three other women who claimed they had given birth to the children. Results of their DNA samples are still awaited.

Police plan to use the tests as evidence in court when the couple is charged.

The 21 babies are staying at the Nairobi Children's Home in Kabete.

Police had last week published their pictures and appealed to the public to come forward and assist them in identifying the rightful parents.

CID spokesman Gideon Kibunja then said they were investigating a possible international human trafficking syndicate.