Homicide detectives are at the Makaburini graves in Kericho County, where a mass grave has been discovered. They are set to begin the exhumation process on March 24, 2026.
The secret burial of 33 bodies in Kericho County has taken a new twist, with Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo blaming some of his county officers for alleged corruption even as four more suspects were arrested with the incident.
Speaking on Sunday, the governor distanced his administration from the controversial burial and said the officials involved “will carry their own cross.”
He revealed that an officer tasked with transporting the bodies failed to remit funds to Kericho County as instructed, opting instead to bury the bodies in a private cemetery under unclear arrangements.
Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo.
“The bodies were to be buried in a public cemetery and the officer tasked with this was given Sh32,000, which was supposed to be paid to the Kericho County government. Instead, the officer sent some of the money to a morgue caretaker,” Mr Nyaribo revealed.
He went on: “The bodies were meant to be interred during the day. We have nothing to hide. Let the police investigate and uncover the truth. We sent a vehicle and an officer to escort 13 bodies, but what happened afterward is under investigation.”
Governor Nyaribo said his administration routinely arranges burials for unclaimed bodies in Kericho, the nearest public cemetery, but could not immediately provide an exact number. Records are available at Nyamira County and Nyamira Referral Hospital to support this claim according to the county boss.
The governor spoke after meeting United Progressive Alliance delegates from Kisii and Nyamira counties at Bomas Resort in Suneka, Kisii County.
Responding to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen’s allegations that the burial was conducted secretly and outside legal procedures, Mr Nyaribo said, “We are certain the bodies left Nyamira during the day. Where darkness comes in, I do not know. As a governor, I would not have followed that procedure.”
On Saturday, CS Murkomen expressed concern over the discovery of the mass grave in Kericho, where six people have been arrested.
“There was a court order specifying the number of unclaimed bodies to be disposed of. It was not supposed to happen in darkness,” the CS said, adding that the Nyamira County officials allegedly organised the burial clandestinely, possibly for monetary gain.
A homicide detective marks a mass grave in Makaburini public cemetery in Kericho County on March 24, 2026 before the start of the exhumation exercise of the 14 bodies.
While acknowledging that 13 of the 33 corpses had been properly transferred from Nyamira County Referral Hospital mortuary, Governor Nyaribo insisted that his administration fully complied with legal procedures, including proper documentation.
“We have furnished police with all records regarding the transfer and burial. Police have made arrests, and investigations are ongoing. We should allow them to complete their work,” he said.
The case has exposed systemic challenges in Nyamira and Kisii counties, where the lack of public cemeteries has forced authorities to seek burial space in neighboring counties.
Homicide detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are probing the exhumation of 33 bodies from a church-owned cemetery in Kericho. Authorities say the remains include 25 children and eight adults, along with dismembered body parts packed in gunny sacks, raising questions about the circumstances of their disposal.
DCI Director Mohamed Amin said preliminary investigations confirm some bodies were transferred from Nyamira, but detectives are working to determine whether proper procedures were followed and to trace the origin of at least 20 other bodies whose source remains unclear.
Under Kenyan law, hospitals may dispose of unclaimed bodies after 14 days, subject to a court order. Government pathologists have conducted autopsies to determine causes of death and establish identities, though details remain limited.
Governor Nyaribo welcomed the probe, emphasising his administration’s commitment to establishing the source of the additional bodies and the circumstances surrounding the burial.
“We are anxious to know where these other bodies came from,” he said, urging the public to allow investigators to complete their work.
The suspects are being held at various police stations across Kericho County ahead of their arraignment on multiple charges. Four of the suspects were apprehended last Friday in Nyamira County, while two others David Araka Makori, a Public Health Officer at Nyamira County Government, and Richard Towett, also known as Ezekiel, were arrested last week following public revelations of the case.
The two initial suspects were detained for 30 days to allow police to complete investigations.
“I wish to confirm that six suspects have been arrested in connection with the secret burial of the 33 bodies exhumed by police following court orders,” said CS Murkomen.
Mr Murkomen condemned the clandestine burial, noting that it violated clear legal provisions for handling unclaimed bodies.
“The police have strict instructions to ensure these investigations are thorough. All those involved will face the full wrath of the law,” he said.
Mr Murkomen stated that the bodies were brought from Nyamira County Referral Hospital and buried in a mass grave without following due process. “County officials colluded with the cemetery caretaker to conduct the burial without the knowledge of cemetery management, local police, or administrators,” he said.
The burial took place under cover of darkness and without official notification. While a Nyamira court had authorised the burial of 13 bodies, a total of 33 were secretly transported to Kericho.
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