This archive report was first published on 27 June 2020.
On June 26, a dramatic scene unfolded on the Kakamega-Webuye Road in Malava, Kakamega County, as police were forced to confiscate a casket carrying the body of 67-year-old Maureen Khalwale.
The dispute arose when the woman's widower and her parents, who hail from different villages within Malava Constituency, disagreed on where she would be buried.
According to the woman's sister, Maureen's husband had never taken care of her throughout her illness, and therefore, he stood no chance of burying her.
The parties had collected the woman's remains from Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital morgue at 2pm on Friday, June 26.
Maureen's widower maintained that she was still his wife, despite her fleeing from their matrimonial home six years ago, and alleged that she had taken a large amount of money with her.
However, the deceased's parents said she was living with them at the time of her death, and therefore, the widower could not lay a claim to her body.
After hours of wrangling, Maureen's widower managed to have his way, but not before the parties agreed that he would allow her to pass by her father's homestead to pick her belongings.
The parties then went to Kabras Police Station, where they communicated their mutual consent, resulting in the release of Maureen's casket.
