Mombasa court stunned as 'buried' Shakahola victim appears alive

Controversial preacher Paul Makenzi at the Mombasa Law Courts in Mombasa County on Wednesday March 5, 2025. [Kelvin Karani, Standard] A man whose father claimed to have buried him after his body was allegedly found in Shakahola was yesterday produced at the Mombasa High Court. Moses Karema was presented before Justice Diana Mochache by prison officers from Shimo la Tewa Prison, where he is being detained in connection with a terrorism case related to Shakahola. Karema confirmed that he was also known as Sharifu and told the court that he, his six siblings, and their mother were all alive. He contradicted his father, Mr Charo Mwatete's testimony before the High Court on Tuesday, in which Mwatete said he had buried his son after police officers brought the body to him. However, Karema adopted part of his father's opening statement, stating that his first three siblings died before they went to Shakahola. He also confirmed to the court that they were 10 children in total, supporting what Mwatete told the High Court on Tuesday. His lawyer, Lawrence Obonyo-who is representing him and others in all Shakahola-related matters-raised a query before Justice Mochache, questioning the identity of the person who was buried if the man his father claimed to have buried was indeed alive. "Moses Karema is actually his real name since baptism. However, his father used to refer to him as Sharifu or Musa, which one would say are nicknames or simply the way a parent prefers to call their child. It was alleged that he died in Shakahola, but he is alive and here before you," Obonyo told Justice Mochache. In a quick response, Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) officer Mr Victor Owiti said there was indeed urgency to re-examine the matter, bearing in mind that it was alleged some of those at Shakahola were re-baptised. However, Karema's father did not appear virtually to confirm whether he recognised Karema, as ordered by the High Court. The court has now ordered Mwatete to appear in person, along with his wife, Kadzo Mwatete, who was also confirmed to be at Shimo la Tewa Prison. Justice Mochache further directed the investigating officer in the matter, Raphael Wanjohi, to investigate the case further and establish the whereabouts of the seven Mwatete children who are allegedly still alive. On Tuesday, Mwatete, who was testifying before Justice Mochache, said he was given the body of Sharifu Mwatete to bury after it was allegedly found in Shakahola Forest. Mwatete was testifying in a case where Makenzi and 19 others are facing 191 counts of murder. He told the court that he and his wife separated ten years ago and were not on speaking terms with her or the children. "I know my son as Sharifu Mwatete, and if he was called Moses, I do not know, because what I understand is that while at Shakahola, they were changing names," Mwatete told the court on Tuesday. He added that his wife later left with the other seven children and went to Shakahola. However, he said he knew his wife was still alive because he had seen her on television when they were rescued. He also told the court that his daughter, Rehema, was still alive, and the only child he was aware had died was Sharifu. "I was told by the police that they used my wife's DNA to identify the body of Sharifu, and that's when we were given the body to bury," he said.

Mombasa court stunned as 'buried' Shakahola victim appears alive

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Mombasa court stunned as 'buried' Shakahola victim appears alive

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