This archive report was first published on 13 July 2021.
On Saturday, a family in Taita Taveta county conducted a funeral without the body of the deceased, Samuel Mnene, who had succumbed to Covid-19 complications at a hospital in Mombasa a week ago.
The burial of the former National Treasury accountant was scheduled for Saturday at California area in Taveta town, but police officers issued a court order barring them from burying their kin on the one-acre plot.
Area police boss Gifinalis Baraza said, 'The two sides claim ownership of the plot and I hear both parties have ownership documents. If it is true, then this is double allocation.'
According to Baraza, the Taveta subcounty police commander, the plaintiff obtained the court order in Taveta Law Courts on Friday evening, a day to the burial.
Despite the court order, hundreds of mourners, including politicians, attended the funeral service even though Mnene’s body was not at the venue.
One of the mourners said, 'Deaths are difficult and where the body is not present, can be especially hard. Having a funeral service can help heal during the grieving process.'
The family had finalized burial preparations when the court order was served, including digging a grave and making all arrangements finalised.
Following the turn of events, the family had to quickly look for an alternative site to bury the remains of their kin.
