NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has confirmed that all 33 bodies exhumed from a mass grave at Makaburini Cemetery in Kericho originated from Nyamira Teaching and Referral Hospital, deepening a growing scandal over the handling of human remains.
DCI Director Mohammed Amin said preliminary investigations, including mortuary records and CCTV footage, traced the bodies directly to the Nyamira facility.
The findings sharply contradict earlier assertions by Amos Nyaribo, who had stated that only 13 bodies were lawfully released and transported for burial in Kericho.
“All the remains recovered from the mass grave where we are standing this morning actually originated from Nyamira County Referral Hospital mortuary, and this has been acknowledged by the management and officials of the said hospital,” Mohammed stated.
The mass grave contained 33 bodies, 25 of them infants and eight adults, significantly exceeding the number authorised for release by county authorities.
Governor Nyaribo had maintained that due process was followed, including court approvals, before the transfer and burial of the 13 bodies. However, investigators now say the scale of the discovery suggests serious irregularities in the handling and documentation of remains.
Attention has since shifted to the hospital’s mortuary operations, where authorities suspect additional bodies, particularly infants, may have been released without proper records.
Investigators have cited CCTV footage as critical evidence, capturing activities at the mortuary during the period under scrutiny.
“Four bags were loaded into a white Toyota Land Cruiser registration number GKA 549L by Jason Mochara Nyabi, who is the chief mortician at the referral hospital under the supervision of the public health officer,” the DCI boss noted.
The footage is said to show coordination between mortuary staff and other officials, raising questions about oversight and compliance with established protocols.
Authorities have also uncovered discrepancies in hospital records. While internal data suggests that at least 46 infants died within hospital wards, mortuary logs fail to account for their discharge, transfer, or burial.
The gaps have intensified concerns about untracked remains and possible systemic failures in mortuary management.
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Autopsies have been conducted on the recovered bodies, and DNA samples collected as part of efforts to identify victims and trace their families.
Several officials from both Nyamira and Kericho county governments have been taken into custody as investigations continue. While some suspects have been released, those still detained include the hospital’s medical superintendent, the chief mortician, and the cemetery caretaker.
Investigators are also examining the ownership and management of Makaburini Cemetery, alongside the roles played by additional staff in the burial process.
The case has sparked national concern over the handling of human remains in public health facilities, particularly regarding infant deaths and accountability mechanisms.
Analysts say the outcome of the investigation could have far-reaching implications for mortuary regulation, public health governance, and oversight of county health systems across Kenya.
