The body of a Kilifi woman who was exhumed from a grave by unknown people was found hidden in a bush.
The incident has shocked the locals in Rabai-Sub County who are yet to know the motive of those who removed the body from the grave.
The body of the woman went missing from the grave last week but was later found in a thicket.
According to Rabai sub county police commander Fred Abuga, the body was discovered in a thicket by residents about a kilometre from where it had been buried three months ago.
“Residents saw the casket in a bush around the area and they alerted the police. We went there with the family who identified the body which was still in the casket,” he said.
The deceased identified as Fatuma Mwero who was aged 72 years was buried in March this year but on Monday night last week; unknown people exhumed the body, leaving a lot of unanswered questions.
The family led by Mwero’s husband Daniel Lwambi made a frantic search and were even contemplating burying a banana trunk in the grave.
“In our culture we cannot leave a grave open. If we will not find the body then we will have to bury a banana trunk,” said Mr Lwambi
The body was taken to Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital as police continue with investigations.
“We took the body to the mortuary because we need to establish the motive behind the exhuming of the body. We are yet to make arrests but we are closely following up on the matter,” said Mr Abuga
Mr Lwambi suspects his wife’s body was exhumed because of a land row pitying him and a Mombasa based tycoon.
The deceased husband has been claiming that the tycoon has on many occasions tried to take away the land from him.
“He even forged a number from another county claiming it was his land. He tried to stop the burial of my wife but we buried her,” he said.
Mr Lwambi expressed gratitude that her wife’s body had finally been found but he is still not at peace as he is not sure what will happen if she buries her again.
“We have the body which we took it to the morgue but we are not sure who is behind the whole thing. This situation is giving me sleepless nights because I believe it might be exhumed again once we re-bury her,” he said.
