A Kenyan woman is embroiled in a custody battle with her former boyfriend, a British National and a former Scotland Yard detective.
The court battle began in 2019 after Hellen moved to Mombasa high court seeking child upkeep for their son.
By Tobby Otum
The British national identified as Kevin Barry Hurley met Helen Maria Imokor while on a visit to Kenya in 2016.
Barry had traveled to Kenya as a tourist and met Helen at Diani tourist resort town in the south coast, Kwale County and a relationship blossomed leading to a baby boy in 2017.
The court battle began in 2019 after Hellen moved to Mombasa high court seeking child upkeep for their son.
In a fresh turn of events Kevin filed a lawsuit seeking for the custody of the child citing being denied access to his son.
Helen through her Counsel Geoffrey Were was also forced to seek a court injunction restricting Kevin from removing the three year old boy from her custody and the high court Judge John Nyabuto allowed her to stay with their son and only granted Barry day time care of their son through virtual chambers.
Barry was granted access to the boy under the supervision of a children’s officer attached to Tononoka children’s court in Mvita constituency in Mombasa county or a magistrate of the same court till mid-December when he is supposed to jet back to his country. “The child’s pick-up point will be at the Tononoka children’s court in Mvita constituency,” the judge directed.
Justice Onyiego directed the children’s officer in charge of the sub county to supervise the handing over between Barry and his former lover.
The high court directed that in the absence of the children’s officer the children’s court Senior Resident Magistrate Viola Yator will hold brief to supervise the handing over of the child between the two.
Justice Onyiego directed Maria to ensure she drops and hands over the child at 8am at the lower court as directed by the high court in Mombasa county and pick up her son at the same court at 6pm daily.
Barry’s counsel Lawrence Obonyo caused drama when he attempted to eject journalists from the Tononoka children’s court compound with threats not to witness the handover of the child to his client.
He demanded the removal of journalists from the compound while his client hid himself behind tinted windows of his vehicle.
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