Drama in Nakuru morgue after woman 'resurrects'

By Leonard Kulei

The casket which was to carry the body of Josphine Wanjiru, who later emerged alive in Nakuru Municipal Mortuary.. [Photo: Boniface Thuku/Standard]

Drama unfolded at the Nakuru Municipal Mortuary on Saturday after a woman, whose ‘body’ her family had showed up to collect for burial ‘ resurrected’, much to the shock of morgue attendants and relatives.

According to morgue superintendent Allois Momanyi, a body was brought to the facility two weeks ago but two different families, one from Kaptembwa estate within the town and another one from Wanyororo in Lanet, identified separately and claimed ownership.

Unfortunately, the Wanyororo family, Mr Momanyi explained, did not do proper identification but nonetheless, went ahead with funeral arrangements.

“We later learnt that the ‘ dead’ woman from Wanyororo had separated with her husband and her family just got wind from someone that a body of a woman resembling their kin was in the mortuary,” said Momanyi.

And on the material day, relatives of the Wanyororo woman arrived at the facility with a coffin complete with a white cross and the name of Josephine Wanjiru christened on it. Momanyi said the family went straight to the morgue’s registry, where they were informed that the supposed body, which bore different names had been picked by another family.

“They accused us of wrong dispatch, yet we knew well there was no body registered under their kin’s name,” said Momanyi.

As confrontations ensued, Ms Wanjiru emerged to the shock of everyone and The Standard team, which had been called by a news source over the impasse. More drama awaited The Standard journalists after they were lured by the ‘mourners’ to the home where the burial was to take place.

As soon as the team arrived, a group of youths demanded to know what the journalists were doing at the homestead. They yelled as they attacked the journalists, who luckily sped off to safety.