Murang'a boy held for trying to exhume mother’s body

The teenager was on Friday found with a jembe next to the grave of his mother, who died two years ago, at Kamae village in Kandara Constituency.

Police have arrested a 17-year-old boy after he was found, for the second time, trying to exhume the remains of his mother.

 The teenager was on Friday found with a jembe next to the grave of his mother, who died two years ago, at Kamae village in Kandara Constituency. On Thursday, he escaped from Ngurwe-ini Administration Police camp where he had been held for the same offence.

In both incidents, the boy said he was searching for his mother because he was lonely.

The boy's relatives said they were informed of his strange behaviour and they called the police. Mzee Wanyoike Karuga, a village elder, said before his first arrest, the teenager had dug nearly three feet before he was stopped by neighbours.

“The boy is an orphan and his decision to exhume remains of his mother is shocking,” said Karuga. Kandara OCPD Wilson Kosgey said they are investigating the matter before they can charge the boy in court.