Drama unfolded at Siloam Hospital’s mortuary, Lazarus Funeral Home, in Kericho when a family discovered that the body of their kin, whom they had gone to collect for burial, had already been released to another family and buried.
According to the family spokesman, Joseph Langat, they were shocked when the mortuary attendant removed a different body from that of 88-year-old Kipkoros Mutai for processing.
Langat said they raised an alarm after noticing unfamiliar physical features on the body which was a clear indication it was not their late uncle.
After a confrontation, the hospital management later discovered that the body was released to another family from Seretut area in Belgut constituency, the previous week on Thursday and was buried on Friday.
According to Julius Ruto, the Seretut family spokesman, he had indeed realized that the body was different from their uncle, identified as Joel Kipngeny Chumo, 95, during the processing for burial when they went to collect it on Thursday.
Ruto explained that he attempted to reason with the mortuary attendant, but the attendant threatened to detain him at the morgue if he did not accept the body.
He revealed that some of his relatives who had accompanied him to collect the body positively identified the remains as that of their kin, which led him to reluctantly accept it.
Ruto said he was not surprised when he later received a call informing him that they had buried the wrong body.
However, the hospital’s director, Franklin Bett, apologized to the two families for the mix-up.
Bett stated that the Seretut family seemed to have taken the body without proper scrutiny, adding that he discovered that the two old men bore a striking resemblance in some ways.
He emphasized that the mix-up was not malicious and that such an incident had not happened in the facility during its 24 years in operation.
Bett mentioned that the hospital administration had reported the matter to the Kericho police station and would file an affidavit in court on Wednesday to enable the family to exhume the already buried body.
He assured that they had resolved the matter amicably and the hospital would assist the two families in burying their respective kin.
The director dismissed the rumors circulating that the body was missing, clarifying that the whereabouts of each body were known, but the unfortunate mix-up had occurred.
Join our community and solve the Puzzling fun with our range of crosswords
We are building some fun puzzles to put your problem-solving skills to the test and we want you to have a blast while you're at it!
Share your email and we’ll serve up new puzzles with your morning coffee.
Do you want to help shape the features we prioritize? Take a Survey to help us understand what matters to you most
Begin SurveyAM Live is NTV's morning current affairs show that sets the agenda for the day with insightful panels every weekday.
Business Redefined is Kenya’s premier thought leadership platform for unpacking matters regarding economic and finance policy as well demystifying complex developments in the region’s capital markets.
This is Daily Politics. Here we look into the ins and outs of everything Kenyan politics. We pull no punches and have no reason to sugarcoat anything that matters to Kenyans.
A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula
A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula
Gumzo La Sato is a live social issues show that aims to create awareness about issues affecting the larger society. The discussions range from Parenting, Marital bliss and struggles, Oppression, violence, and all matters of the Heart.
Health Diary is a weekly show that highlights different types of diseases/conditions and seeks ways to prevent, treat/manage them. The show debunks this through real life stories and also feature specialists in different fields, to offer medical advice on the same.
Letter To My Younger Self is a podcast where guests get to write a letter to their younger self, from which Maxine formulates questions to ask them during the hour-long show.
Nation Reports is a weekly podcast offers an opportunity for listeners to interact with various reporters and journey with them as they unravel the biggest most emotive stories.
Paradise Lost peeks through the story of Louis Otieno, the times, and everything in between.
Speaking of Gen Z brings you entertaining but meaningful conversations about a generation that is trying to navigate through adulthood. Join hosts Michelle, Jackie and Esther as they unravel all things Gen Z.
Sport-On is a 30-minute sports magazine show on NTV and 3 hours on NATION FM. The show seeks to give the sports “fanatics” and “funatics” comprehensive and in-depth coverage of sports both locally and internationally.
Thamani is a business show which is dedicated to emerging issues regarding micro, small and medium size businesses.
A two-hour-long live show that airs on Fridays. The show focuses on what is current in the entertainment industry, controversial and popular across all media platforms targeting those aged between 25 and 35 years.
The trend podcast highlights and captures the best of banter from #TTTT segment that airs every Friday on NTV. It's the TTTT EXTRA
The Wicked Edition with Dr. King’ori seeks to address serious issues through humour and relatable wit. It is a two-part half hour show filmed in front of a live audience
A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula
Twende is a travel show that highlights beautiful, unique, diverse locations, people, and cultures. The show offers fresh perspectives on familiar locations and memorable experiences in new ones.
This Saturday evening lifestyle show lets viewers share their stories and life experiences as openly & honestly for the purpose of shifting the culture of silence.
VIP ACCESS is Anyiko Owoko’s YouTube and podcast show on Music and Culture dedicated to promoting Africa’s most promising talent and creatives. This podcast grants you VIP access into timeless interviews while providing a platform for rising as well as established artists across the continent. Since launching in 2018, Anyiko has interviewed over 70 African music stars.
This weekly news show aims to have all sides of debate but not be constrained by it, listen to main voices in the contest but not allow them to hold the viewers hostage, entertain debate but allow push back with all due respect.
In this podcast, three widowers openly speak about the process of grief, how they found themselves exposed to the emotional turmoil of losing their wives, and how society still does not know how to deal with them.
Your World is a health, wellness and variety show. It provides a platform for audiences and experts to share their experiences on how to improve or manage health issues, across Kenya and the Africa region.
