This archive report was first published on 19 December 2019.
Kenya: Drama At Judge Odek's Home Amid Burial Plans, Postmortem Pushed ¶
Published on December 19, 2019
Justice James Aggrey Otieno Odek's relatives and clansmen forced their way into his main house in Memba village, Rarieda, Siaya County, to plan his burial.
The drama unfolded on Thursday after some of his relatives and clansmen demanded that his house be opened for them to meet and plan his burial.
However, one of the caretakers in charge of the house had declined to give out the keys to the main house since the judge's wife had ordered it locked.
After a scuffle and a bitter exchange of words between the villagers and the workers, that lasted about 20 minutes, the relatives forced their way into the house located between two others that belong to the judge's sons.
They then settled down and held the meeting with the door open.
According to a worker, Justice Odek's widow, Anne Achieng', visited the home on Thursday and left after showing relatives the site for the burial next Friday.
"She led them to a spot at the family graveyard and asked them to prepare it," the worker said.
Meanwhile, the postmortem to establish the cause of Mr Odek's death, which was to take place from 10am at Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu, has been pushed to next week.
His elder brother, Mr Yonah Odek, said Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mr George Kinoti, advised that the autopsy be done by the chief government pathologist, given the judge's status.
Mr James Kipsoi, Nyanza Regional CID boss, said the DCI wants the chief government pathologist present to prevent issues in future.
The family and Judiciary officials are expected to contract a private practice pathologist to witness the examination.
According to a source at Aga Khan, the facility only has a clinical pathologist who does examinations in the laboratory, yet the type of autopsy needed is a comprehensive one.
"The hospital does not have a chief pathologist and the one brought from Kakamega is not one," Yonah said.
The family is waiting for the chief government pathologist to travel from Nairobi for the procedure.
Police investigation into Mr Odek's death have so far recorded statements from both the night and day security guards on his last movements.
Dr Vincent Makokha, Nyanza Regional Police Commander, said they also took the judge's phones for analysis.
Operations at the Court of Appeal in Kisumu have been halted in honour of Mr Odek, who oversaw a three-judge bench.
Matter postponed as a result of the judge's death include a land dispute involving former President Daniel arap Moi, who had been ordered to pay a widow Sh1 billion for grabbing her property, and the Kibos Sugar and Allied Ministries pollution case.
