This archive report was first published on 16 August 2019.
Kenya: 10 Held in Kakamega After Body Exhumed to Retrieve Uniform ¶
On August 7, 31-year-old Martin Shikuku Alukoye drowned in River Eburinde. He was buried on Monday night in line with Luhya customs after his clan elders conducted rituals to cleanse the family.
However, the next day, a group from the Kakamega County government stormed his graveyard and exhumed his body to recover the service uniform. The move has left villagers shocked and sparked a police investigation.
Police in Kakamega County are holding 10 people for questioning following the exhumation of Martin's body. The group includes five county officers, four of Martin's family members, and the area's assistant chief.
Butere Deputy Sub-county Police Commander Julius Achuka said they will carry out a thorough probe and ensure those culpable of tampering with a buried body are prosecuted.
"We are recording statements from 10 people in connection with exhuming a body without following the right procedures," Mr Achuka told journalists at the Butere Police Station.
"We are yet to know whether there was a court order that allowed the people who exhumed the body to dig up the grave," he added.
Reached for comment, Butere Sub-county administrator Vitalis Masakhwe said he was not aware that county officials were being held.
According to Martin's brother Patrick Alukoye, the county officials hung the uniform on a tree near the grave and left it there for two days before collecting it on August 14.
