A family in Nakalira village in Bungoma County has been thrown into a state of panic as the body of their kin has went missing from the morgue.
The late mama Mary Sakaria is said to have died on August 14, 2019, and her body was taken to Dreamland hospital morgue in Kimilili town as her family was planning for burial.
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Relatives of the mama Grace during her burial on Friday, August 23, in Bungoma West Sub County for her burial. Photo: Standard.
Source: UGC
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However, when the deceased family went to collect her body on Monday August 26, they were shocked as they were presented with a different body.
After a long search through the mortuary records by mortuary attendants, it was discovered a body mix-up had occurred at the morgue.
According to the mortuary attendants, a body had been transferred to Lugulu morgue for preservation and thereafter buried in Sirisia constituency on Friday August 23.
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“We did thorough investigations and found that the body of my niece had been picked and taken to Lugulu Hospital Mortuary by another family and then to Ndakaru in Bungoma West for burial,” said Nasimiyu’s uncle Longinus Wekesa.
Dreamland Hospital administrator Ruth Nabiranda confirmed two bodies had been taken to the mortuary on Monday August 19, and one was later transferred to Lugulu Hospital mortuary.
“The next of kin, who is her son, took the body but because he was in a hurry, he identified the wrong body and that’s how this confusion came about,” she said.
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The burial ceremony at Sirisia was attended by Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati Sirisia MP John Waluke among and other county officials.
“They were very shocked to realise that they had buried a different person after spending more than KSh 2 million to carter for the funeral expenses,” added Wekesa.
The body was buried in Mufungu village, Lwandanyi ward in Sirisia constituency and was thought to be that of mama Grace Wekesa.
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The second family who realised that their kin had been buried in Mufungu village are in the process of getting a court order to exhume the body and offer it a descent burial.
The deceased family have reported the matter at Kimilili police station.
The body of mama Grace is still at Dreamland Hospital mortuary.
This comes amid cries from the family of mama Mary Sakaria who now want the mortuary attendants to take responsibility and foot all bills incurred so far.
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In addition, a ceremony is set to be performed in both homes according to Bukusu culture where a sheep is to be killed to appease the ancestors.
The grave dug earlier at mama Sakaria’s home should then be filled by planting a banana stem and another one should be dug for the burial of the body.
This is a way of avoiding calamities befalling the family as narrated by elder Mzee John walubengo.
Story by Titus Oteba, TUKO Correspondent – Bungoma County.
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