Cops raid home, take off with coffin

A family in the Lumakanda area, Lugari Constituency Kakamega County is in disarray after a contingent of police stormed the home with court orders and took away a dead body set for burial as a family left to watch helplessly.

The police are said to have arrived at the home of Alfred Kehodo the husband to his deceased wife Diana Afandi on Saturday morning when the family was planning for burial service and took away the body stating that they had court orders barring the family from burying their departed kin in the disputed piece of land where a grave had already been dug due.

The court papers indicated that the piece of land did not belong to the family as the alleged owner had filed a case and put an injunction on burying the deceased until the matter is fully heard and determined with the family coming to the surprise of the new development. Mourners who had gathered at the home waiting for the burial service were left tongue-tied as police walked away with the deceased body in the casket forcing mourners to eat and leave.

According to the deceased family members led by Ken Kimiywe, they were shocked to see police putting to halt all the burial plans.

"We had been prepared to burry our beloved one but in the morning when we were preparing to start the burial service police stormed the home with court orders restraining the family from burying the dead with court orders stating that the body was to be taken back to the hospital until the case surrounding the ownership of the land is heard and determined," said Kimiywe, adding that, their efforts to plead with the police officers to allow them to bury their kin hit a snag as police officers said they were following a court order.

"The bereaved family is so stressed after their attempts to be allowed to bury their kin were futile, we are wondering why the complainant did not inform the family earlier enough before we could incur all the burial expenses only to wait for the last day," he said

Kimiywe said they encountered a huge loss as mourners were forced to eat the food that was prepared and left.

"We had no option but to accept despite incurring expenses, we had encountered all the costs since her death to the last day, we had cooked everything and the mourners had to eat and leave,' said Kimiywe.

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Alfred Kehodo, the husband of the deceased did not talk much but asked for his wife to be given respect and a befitting send-off.

"This was the last day for my wife and we had planned to accord her last respect. What I am only calling for is respect for the dead,' said Kehodo.

The family was forced to fill the empty grave and it is set to do a cleansing ritual since the burial had not taken place to appease the dead spirit as they wait for the court case.

"The rituals must be conducted to cleanse the family from being haunted by the deceased who is so angry at where she is now, therefore she must be accorded her last respect to know that the incident was not under the wish of her family," said an elder.

The body of the deceased was taken back to Webuye Hospital Parlor.