Villagers in shock after parts of 'exhumed' coffin are dumped by the roadside
Esther Wanjiru speaks to the media at their home in Bagaria Village in Njoro, Nakuru County after they found the grave of her mother tampered with. Inset (left): Part of the coffin that is beleieved to have been exhumed and (right) the grave of Ms Wanjiru's mother.
What you need to know:
- Rose Njeri, a retired teacher, passed on in September and was buried on her three-acre piece of land.
- Family members said they need to raise Sh75,000 to obtain a court order for the exhumation exercise.
Residents of Bagaria Village in Njoro sub-county, Nakuru County have been left in shock after they woke up and stumbled on parts of a coffin suspected to have been exhumed and dumped by the roadside.
The residents believe the coffin contained the remains of the late Rose Njeri who was buried two months ago.
The 61-year-old mother of two and a retired teacher passed on in September and was buried on her three-acre piece of land.
Part of the coffin that residents of Bagaria Village in Njoro sub-county, Nakuru County found dumped by the roadside.
The second-born daughter of the deceased, Ms Esther Wanjiru, said she noticed her mother’s grave had been tampered with.
Ms Wanjiru said the grave had been desecrated with the sand indicating that it had been dug up. She also said their were footprints around the grave.
Then on Thursday she says they stumbled on the coffin by the roadside.
“We were shocked and did not know what to do. We don’t know whether the remains of our dear mother are still intact,” Ms Wanjiru said.
“We did not sleep at night. We do not know if they took the body with them and dumped it elsewhere,” she added.
The grave of Rose Njeri in Bagaria Village in Njoro sub-county, Nakuru County. Family members suspect the grave has been tampered with by unknown people.
Ms Wanjiru said they had been advised by the area chief to report the matter at Naishi Police Station, where the police promised to investigate the incident.
According to Ms Wanjiru, her mother purchased the land a few years ago and there have been no despites over the land whose title deed they have.
"We do not know the motive of this incident. Our mother is the rightful owner of the land. We do not know if those responsible for this act want to scare us so that they can then grab the land. They should just leave our mother to rest in peace. She suffered alot when she was alive," a tearful Wanjiru said.
Ms Florence Wambui, a sister of the deceased, said she was informed of the incident by her niece who called her to inform her that their mother’s grave had been tampered with.
Family members said they need to raise Sh75,000 to obtain a court order for the exhumation exercise to ascertain if the body is still there.
Bagaria Location chief David Githiga speaks to the media after parts of a coffin were found dumped by the roadside.
“We just plead with good Samaritans to help so that we get a court order for the exhumation. If the remains of our kin will be there, then we will be at peace, if not, we will live with it for the rest of our lives,” she said
Area chief Mr David Githiga confirmed that he issued the family with a burial permit after Rose Njeri's demise.
“The family has been advised to wait for the police to complete investigations into the incident. We have never witnessed anything like this before. It's very strange. Nothing will be done until a court order is issued," he said.
