Woman mistakenly buried in Meru body mix-up is laid to rest
Ms Hellen Kamathi Nchebere's body was exhumed on Wednesday after it was mistakenly buried by another family.
A woman in Meru was on Friday buried for the second time in a ceremony that was attended by dozens of mourners in Mbuuta village, Imenti North.
There was song and dance when the body of Hellen Kamathi Nchebere, 74, arrived at her homestead where an elaborate funeral service was held before she was interred.
Kamathi's body was exhumed on Wednesday after it was mistakenly buried by another family.
Her family had planned to bury her on December 31, but her relatives found her body missing when they went to Cottolengo Mission Hospital mortuary, Chaaria where it was being preserved.
Kamathi family later discovered that her body was mistakenly picked from the mortuary on December 29 and buried by the family of Hellen Nyoroka, 61.
Kamathi and Nyoroka had both been admitted at the same hospital situated in Imenti Central and died on the same day on December 24.
On Friday, Kamathi’s family members said they were glad that the body of their kin had been found and would not press charges against the hospital.
Kamathi’s son, Charles Kiriinya said they were distressed by the incident which forced them to prepare for two burial ceremonies.
He said they were also under pressure from some elders in the village to plant a banana stalk to fill the grave they had dug last month.
“We were being told that when a grave is dug and is not filled immediately, we have to plant a banana. But we are Christians and we don’t believe in such things. We believed that such a thing cannot affect us,” said Mr Kirinya.
He added that the family also incurred financial losses.
Nyaki East MCA Robert Kithinji, who is a nephew of Kamathi and Rev Sunday Ibuatho, encouraged the family to be grateful that the body had been found, saying everything happens for a reason.
“It was in God’s plans that she be buried this year instead of last year as planned. It is a show of love that a large number of mourners have gathered here even after showing up on December 31. Would people leave their schedule to see you off twice?” posed the clergyman.
Mourners eulogised Kamathi as an ardent member of the Methodist Church who had contributed land for the construction of the local St Matthew’s church, and was also active in community activities.
