Residents of Bagaria village in the Njoro constituency of Nakuru County are currently living in a state of fear following the unsettling discovery of an abandoned coffin along the roadside.
The inhabitants of the village are gripped by apprehension as they speculate that the coffin, unearthed from an unidentified grave by unknown individuals, may belong to Rose Njeri. She was laid to rest in September 2023 at the age of 61 after succumbing to cancer. Njeri, a mother of two, was interred on her three-acre property.
The disturbing incident came to light when Njeri’s daughter, Esther Wanjiru, and her family visited her mother’s grave on a Tuesday morning. Upon close examination, they observed signs of disturbance, with freshly dug soil and footprints indicating that the grave had been tampered with.
Wanjiru disclosed that the family had previously secured the grave with a wooden fence after the burial. However, to their astonishment, they discovered that the fence had been dismantled, with pieces scattered a few meters away from the disturbed grave.
“We usually come here to check on our crops, but on Tuesday, we noticed something unusual. The grave appeared to have been tampered with. We were shocked and didn’t know what to do. We informed our aunt, who advised us to leave and report the incident to the chief,” explained Wanjiru.
Following the advice, the family reported the incident to the local chief, who recommended filing a report at the Naishi Police Station. Despite this, the situation took a more distressing turn when, two days later, residents stumbled upon fragments of the coffin scattered along the roadside. This discovery heightened concerns, prompting the family to question whether their relative’s body had been exhumed and discarded elsewhere.
Esther Wanjiru expressed her uncertainty and anxiety about the situation, pondering the possibility of waking up to find her mother’s remains at their doorstep or abandoned along the roadside.
Florence Wambui, Njeri’s sister, was informed by her nephew about the signs of disturbance at their mother’s grave. She advised the family to report the matter to the police for a thorough investigation.
Already grappling with the loss of their loved one, the family now faces the distressing uncertainty of not knowing if their mother’s remains were taken or left abandoned. They highlighted the urgent need to raise KSh 75,000 for a court order, which is a prerequisite before exhumation can be carried out to determine the status of the body.
