Could this body in Voi be that of Meshack Yebei? Family hopes

Anxiety has gripped a hospital in Voi town following claims that a body that has been lying in its mortuary since December 30, last year, is that of Meshack Yebei.

Yebei is the man whose disappearance since last year has been surrounded by intrigues, claims and accusations, especially after a body that had been claimed to be his was found to be another man’s.

Before his disappearance, Yebei was said to be a defence witness in the case against Deputy President William Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC), but is said to have recanted his evidence.

He went missing on December 30, after escorting his wife and child to a hospital in Turbo, Uasin Gishu County.

Yesterday, Moi County Referral Hospital Voi administration officer Charles Nguti told The Standard on Saturday that officials from Haki Africa, a human rights group, and a family from Rift Valley had developed interest in the unidentified corpse.

Hospital sources confirmed that three close relatives of Yebei visited the mortuary on Tuesday and told officials they were 70 per cent sure the body was that of Yebei. They were, however, reluctant to make any definite announcements until a postmortem is conducted.

Following this development, a human rights group based in Eldoret has cautioned the Government against interfering with investigations on the matter.

Ken Wafula, the director of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (CHRD), yesterday said the body was discovered in Tsavo National Park by a ranger on December 31, last year, although officials in Voi insist security forces found the body on December 30.

Coincidentally, December 31 is also the day the body recovered in River Yala and initially thought to be Yebei’s was taken to Kapsabet County Referral Hospital.

A source within the human rights movement yesterday said the Yebei family feared the body in Voi might be stolen or exchanged with another if they made a public announcement before a postmortem.

Four unidentified and unclaimed bodies were on Friday disposed of in a mass grave at the same hospital after lying unclaimed for more than 91 days.

Police action in relation to the unidentified corpse has also sparked curiosity. Nguti said that detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department took fingerprints from the body on January 19.

Taita Taveta County Commander Richard Bitonga confirmed that fingerprints were lifted and taken to Nairobi for identification, but said the results were not out.

Sources within the police force told The Standard on Sunday the body was found in an area known as Man Eaters within Tsavo National Park, a notorious dumping place for murder victims.

A hospital staff member who saw the body said it had started to decompose by the time it was taken to the mortuary, and the eyes had been gouged out.

Bitonga said the body was naked when found but denied knowledge that any family was claiming it. He expressed surprise that a family could inspect the body at the hospital without his knowledge.

Yesterday, Wafula said security officials should give the human rights bodies and the family ample time and space to try identifying the body.

He said the identification of the body alleged to be that of Yebei began a week and a half ago, in a joint probe involving Mombasa and Eldoret human rights teams.

“Human rights organisations have been helping the family to travel to the morgue to assist with the identification of the body in relation to marks privy to them,” he added.

Lillian Yebei, the wife of the missing man, however disputed claims on the corpse as rumours.

“It is the human rights groups that went to look at the body, but they are still not sure whose it is. I am planning to go and see the body next week. I have a small baby who requires attention and cannot travel at the moment,” said Lillian.

John Kariuki from the Serious Crimes Unit at the CID denied knowledge of the body in Voi, saying he had only heard about it on radio. “We shall coordinate a team of investigators help unravel the mystery and ascertain the true identity of the body,” he said.