Detectives in Voi to identify 'Yebei' body

Taita-Taveta, Kenya: A special team from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has arrived in Voi to try and identify a body that has been lying at the Voi Referral Hospital mortuary since December 30, last year.

The body is suspected to be that of the missing alleged International Criminal Court (ICC) witness, Meshack Yebei.

The detectives who arrived in the town on Tuesday evening took pictures of the body and ordered mortuary staff to ensure it is not moved or inspected without police authority.

It was, however, not clear whether there were any plans to do a DNA analysis on the body.

Investigation by the Serious Crimes Unit (SCU) wing of the police led by one John Kariuki began four days after the body was taken to the mortuary.

Police found the body at the Man Eaters area, near Manyani in Tsavo.

Voi police and hospital administration told The Standard the officers from SCU had taken the body's fingerprints on January 29, a report that was denied by the officers.

Backing the police and hospital's account, Taita Taveta County Police Commander Richard Bitonga confirmed that fingerprints were lifted and taken to Nairobi for identification.

Mr Kariuki had earlier denied knowledge of the body's existence, raising doubts on what detectives from Nairobi had gone to do in Voi.

First found

When a body suspected to be of Mr Yebei was first found at Kapsabet Referral Hospital early January, local DCI officers lifted the fingerprints and even alerted his kin despite the fact Yebei's family had not reported his disappearance.

From the prints, police said they had determined the man at the Kapsabet mortuary was not Yebei's.

"It is true that we visited the Voi hospital but there is nothing I can tell the Press. I have nothing to release at this time. You can talk to the DCI Director for more information," Kariuki told The Standard on phone yesterday.

Mr Bitonga confirmed two senior DCI officers from Nairobi were in the county to check whether the unidentified body was Yebei's.

"I held a meeting with the investigators at my Voi office in the morning. The CID officers have come to find out whether the body at the mortuary is Yebei's," said the police boss.

Without giving more details about the investigation, Mr Bitonga said the team had been assigned to probe the matter that has caused anxiety in the country.

Bitonga said the team is yet to brief him on the progress of its work.