Two bodies found in River Tana three weeks ago yet to be identified

Karaba market in Mbeere South, Embu County where police are looking for a man who is suspected to have killed his wife and daughter and buried them in a shallow grave at their home. Police have exhumed the bodies. 

Photo credit: Charles Wanyoro | Nation Media Group

Two bodies retrieved from River Tana in Embu County on May 23 are yet to be identified.

Police said the two young men were suspected to have been murdered.

The bodies are still lying unclaimed at the Embu Referral Hospital mortuary.

Mortuary workers told the Nation that no one had come to the morgue to identify the bodies or claim them.

"The bodies were brought to the mortuary by the police but they are yet to be claimed," one attendant said.

Mbeere South police boss Gregory Mutiso said the process of identifying the bodies had started.

"We have taken fingerprints from the victims for analysis in a bid to establish the identity of the slain young men aged 25 and 30," Mr Mutiso said.

He added: "We have no clue why the victims were eliminated but we have launched investigations to find the motive behind the heinous act and those implicated," he said.

He appealed to those who have lost relatives to help identify the bodies.

He said the men were strangled and their bodies stashed in gunny bags before being thrown into the river.

Residents fetching water spotted the bodies floating near the Tana bridge and reported the matter to the Makutano Police Station.

Officers rushed to the scene and retrieved the bodies and took them to the mortuary.

It is suspected that the men were killed elsewhere and dumped in the river to cover up the evidence.

Mr Mutiso said the bodies had strangulation marks on their necks.

"The victims were put in separate bags, which were well sewed. We are treating the matter as murder," Mr Mutiso reiterated.

He asked residents to volunteer information and help police unearth the killers and identify the victims.