A Malindi family is struggling to come to terms with the death of a their kin who, after 15 years in Italy, has returned dead, in a metal box, and missing several vital internal organs.
Amani Luwali, 36, had been living with her Italian husband since 2016, having first visited the European country in 2004.
Josphine Mrima, the deceased’s mother, says she was shocked to learn of her daughter’s death in September from friends in Italy.
“I don’t know how she died and I don’t even know if she was sick. Our friends in Italy just told me that she was dead. The husband later revealed that she had died and a requiem mass was to be conducted and the body was to be cremated the following day,” the devasted mother said.
“I objected because according to our customs we don’t cremate bodies and I ordered for her body to be brought back home.”
The family was shocked when the body arrived in a mysterious state at the Star Hospital mortuary in Malindi town.
The body had been concealed in a tamper-proof metal box, which had to be broken for viewing. It also had stitches all over and the eyes had been removed and replaced with plastic ones.
The heart, major blood vessels, kidneys, and liver are also said to be missing.
According to James Karisa, the deceased’s brother, a post-mortem examination was unable to determine the cause of death due to the missing vital organs.
He stated that the incident has been reported to the Marereni police station in Magarini Sub County for immediate follow-up.
The family has halted all funeral arrangements for their loved ones while they await the results of the investigation.
The husband, whose name has been withheld pending further investigation, allegedly arranged for the body to be flown to Kenya via the Mombasa International Airport with instructions that the container carrying it not be opened.
“The husband promised to bring the body and when it arrived at Mombasa International Airport, we were told not to view it but I insisted that we must view it. The body was transferred to Malindi Star mortuary where the coffin was opened and we saw the body which was in a very awkward state,” she added.
