Exhumed Garissa university terror victim laid to rest in emotional send off

The last victim of the April 2 Garissa University terrorist attack was on Saturday laid to rest in an emotional send-off in Kitui County.

The body of Risper Mutindi Kasyoka, a second year student at the university was interred at her father's Maluma village home, Kitui East Sub-county, six months after the heinous attack which claimed the lives of more than 140 students.

It was much relief for Isaac Mutisya, Kasyoka's father and his family who, for the last six months since the gruesome attack have been agonising over the loss of their daughter.

"As a family we are now at peace. Although we mourn the death of our daughter, we are settled that the sad chapter had been closed. We thank God for giving us closure over this matter," said Mutisya.

"It has been tough and tedious. I have borrowed money from banks and individuals all of which I spent searching for my daughter. I want to thank all the people who supported me," he added.

Kasyoka's mother was overwhelmed by the events and would occasionally be seen wiping tears.

In a bizarre twist, Kasyoka's body was being buried for a second time after it was exhumed a month ago, having been mistakenly buried by another family from Itiva Nzou village in Mwingi North Sub-county. When the investigators realised the mix up mistake, they applied for an exhumation order. Kasyoka shared a name with another student, also a victim of the terror attack.

After the mix up, Mutisya, a Mathematics teacher at Itoleka Girls was thrown into a spin and for months, he became a common feature in newspapers and TV screens where he would seek leave from school and camp in Nairobi for days, shuttling between government offices in a long winding circus.

A body that all along had been lying at Chiromo mortuary was positively identified as that of the Mwingi family and was buried when Kasyoka's was being exhumed.

Kasyoka's body which until Saturday was being preserved at Mwingi level 4 Hospital mortuary was positively identified through DNA tests which matched with samples taken from the parents.

Pallbearers led by Mutisya arrived at the mortuary early morning to collect the body but it took several hours to get it home following a heavy downpour.

Pallbearers carry a casket bearing the remains of Risper Mutindi Kasyoka at Kyunduani primary school in Kitui county where a requiem mass was held on November 28, 2015. The body that was identified six months after the brutal terrorist attack was identified through DNA tests and buried at Maluma village, Kitui county the same day. It had initially been mistakenly buried by another family from Mwingi before it was exhumed. (PHOTO: PHILIP MUASYA / STANDARD)

Kitui Governor Julius Malombe and Kitui East MP Mutua Muluvi joined hundreds of mourners who thronged Kyunduani primary school for a requiem mass before the body was later interred at Mutisya's home. The two leaders called on the government to beef up security in the country and along the borders.

During the burial ceremony, the late Kasyoka was described as a prayerful, obedient and hardworking student who constantly requested for prayers at her home church.

"Through prayers, Kasyoka's body has been found and today we correctly bury it. As we mourn her death however, let us remember her soul is in heaven," noted the pastor who delivered the sermon.

Mr Mutisya's sister, Milkah Kambua said it was a huge burden lifted off the family's shoulders.

"It has been months of sleepless nights and anxiety. However we are happy to bury her," said Kambua.