Nairobi, Kenya - The wife of controversial UK-based televangelist Gilbert Deya has been jailed for three years for stealing a baby at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
Kibera senior principal magistrate Grace Nzioka found Mary Deya guilty of the crime committed in 2005.
Mrs Deya was also found guilty of two counts of giving false information that she had given birth to the child and was jailed for two years on each count.
She will however serve only three years since the sentence runs concurrently.
"I am satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to sentence the accused to three years jail for stealing the baby and additional two years each of the two counts of giving false information.
The Deya's have had lengthy criminal charges after they were separately charged with three different cases of child theft.
In May 2007, Mrs Deya was jailed to two years for stealing a baby and served the sentence at the Lang’ata Women Prison together with two other women, Miriam Nyeko and Rose Kiserem.
Archbishop Deya claims he has spiritual powers to enable women conceive through prayers, what has popularly been known as 'miracle babies'.
One of the convicted, Mrs Nyeko, is a Ugandan born British citizen while her two accomplices are Kenyans accused of theft that took place sometime in July and August 2004.
There is a warrant of arrest against Mr Deya pending at Nairobi Chief Magistrate’s court acquired by police investigating an alleged child trafficking and smuggling racket between Kenya and Britain.
Deya is accused of stealing babies from Nairobi slums and selling them to infertile women in the UK.
The women were convinced they had conceived through power of prayer.
Mr Deya, head of UK-based Gilbert Deya Ministries with about 36,000 followers, is fighting extradition to Kenya, to face charges.
