Kakamega, Kenya — The body of a nine-year-old girl, allegedly defiled and strangled to death by her relatives and buried three years ago, was exhumed on Thursday in the Luanda Shop area of Lurambi Constituency as part of renewed murder investigations.
The deceased, identified as Susan Ambasa, was laid to rest in 2021. However, the case was reopened after it emerged that DNA samples of two key suspects mysteriously went missing from a government laboratory, leading to a collapse of the original investigation.
The exhumation was conducted under heavy security and led by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Homicide Director Martin Nyuguto, Western Region Police Commander Issa Mohamud, Kakamega County Pathologist Dr. Dickson Muchana, and officers from Kakamega Central Police Station.
According to The Standard, the suspects—who are relatives of the deceased—had their DNA samples taken alongside the victim’s and submitted to the government lab in Kisumu for forensic analysis. However, both sets of samples reportedly went missing under suspicious circumstances, and no results were ever released.
Shockingly, the suspects were released after two weeks in custody due to lack of evidence.
Authorities suspect foul play in the disappearance of the samples, with reports indicating that an aunt to the suspects—who is also a police officer—may have colluded with investigators to sabotage the case.
The deceased’s father, Mbiro Koinange, expressed deep frustration and grief, blaming rogue officers for tampering with the case and denying the family justice.
“My daughter was brutally taken from us, and now we are forced to relive this pain because someone tampered with the truth. We just want justice,” said Koinange.
Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud sought to reassure the family and public, pledging an impartial and thorough investigation. He affirmed that all parties involved in obstructing justice will be held accountable.
County Pathologist Dr. Dickson Muchana, who supervised the exhumation, confirmed that a prior postmortem showed clear evidence of defilement and strangulation.
“The previous autopsy confirmed that the girl was sexually assaulted and murdered. This exhumation is crucial to link the suspects to the crime through toxicology and fresh DNA analysis,” he said.
The remains of Susan Ambasa were reburied after the extraction of necessary samples.
The case has reignited public anger over police misconduct and systemic failures in handling sensitive cases involving minors and sexual violence. Advocacy groups have called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to open a parallel inquiry into the alleged collusion within the police service.
As forensic analysis resumes under heightened scrutiny, the Ambasa family—and the broader Kakamega community—hope this second chance at justice will not be in vain.
