Nyeri granny, 85, buried despite missing head
Funeral ceremony of Julia Gathoni at Gathuki Mundu Catholic Church in Mukurwe-ini, Nyeri County. The granny was beheaded while asleep.
Emotions ran high in Gathuki Mundu Catholic Church in Mukurwe-ini, Nyeri County, where Julia Gathoni, who was killed in her sleep and then beheaded, was laid to rest.
Pressured by a rising mortuary bill, the family was forced to bury her against their wish to get her head first, which the killers took with them.
While paying tribute to the 85-year-old, the family said they are not content with how investigations were conducted by police.
“It is unfortunate we have to bury her without her head which we do not know if we will ever find.
"For more than 67 days since she was killed, nobody has been arrested even when we have a working government. It has failed us and we are still hurting," said Mr Weru Gichuki, Gathoni’s nephew.
Were it not for the cost of keeping the remains at the mortuary, the family had intended to wait until the head was found before burying Gathoni.
"We are calling on government agencies to help find her head. They should not remain silent when such an ordeal had taken place and shaken the village," he added.
The family had to apply for a special permit for the burial.
"The investigations were not well done. There was nothing thorough done at the scene despite calls from the family and political leaders in the area," said Mr Lawrence Kiambo, chairman of the Catholic Men Association at Gathuki Mundu parish.
Heinous act
"We are appealing for help from the government to help in investigations so that the family can rest the issue and for them to know who did the heinous act. The elderly are not sleeping due to fear. Apprehending the killer would comfort the community that the government is working for them," he added.
Gathoni was killed on March 11 while she slept in her bed in Miiri village and the killers took away her head.
The residents have combed nearby farms and forests in search of the head in vain. They have also held demonstrations seeking the attention of the government representatives with no success.
The family is yet to receive the results of a post-mortem conducted on Gathoni’s body.
The family suspects a cover up in the murder investigations.
Gathoni was mourned as a kind, generous and happy woman who was friendly to everyone.
