Court Upholds Father’s Right to Access Child Despite Unpaid Dowry

The Court of Appeal in Nyeri ruled that a father cannot be denied access to or custody of his child based on unpaid dowry. In this case, the father sought custody after the mother died, but the grandparents refused, insisting on dowry payment. The court found that the father, as the biological parent, had the legal and moral right to care for the child, emphasizing that cultural practices cannot override the child's constitutional rights.