NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 7 – A judge sitting in North Carolina State in the United States of America has given a Kenyan Father custody of his 1-year-old son.
Justice Young Bedford of Wake County District Court said in his ruling that the child should be in custody of his father Imani Manyara.
The judge in arriving at the decision established by way of evidence produced by Imanyara that he had separated with the wife Lydia Onkoba.
The couple had visited Kenya in January 2024 in an attempt to have the dispute solved by their parents but the wife disappeared with the child.
Imanyara stated that upon visiting Kenya, Lydia took the child in a hiding place in Kitale.
She later fly back to the United States leaving behind the minor.
It took the effort of the father to engage the services of a private investigator to trace the minor.
He says the wife lives in Texas, while the he lives in North Carolina where he works a software engineer.
Upon discovery, the minor he engaged the service of a Kenyan Lawyer Danstan Omari to apply to the High Court Family division to adopt the decision of a judge sitting in Wake County District Court.
Justice Young said “This matter is retained for further orders of this Court as may be appropriate,” he said in his ruling.
Consequently the Kenyan court has adopted the orders of the judge sitting in America and Imanyara his son.
Senior resident magistrate Wangui Kibe in adopting the decision of the USA court directed that parents of the minor preaents themselves to the US Embassy for purpose of regularising the atatus of the minor.
She issued the order on 4th October 2023,saying failure by one party to appear at the Embassy the father will be at liberty to present himself with the son.
