Confusion as Grave Is Dug, Left Open after Body of Deceased Is Stolen
- Villagers were left with more questions than answers following a strange occurrence in their area as seen in a video
- They had gathered in a maize plantation, murmuring among themselves as they witnessed a bizarre incident
- Their shocked expressions mirrored the confusion shared by social media users, who reacted with mixed emotions in the comment section
Several residents were treated to a rude shock after discovering a grave that had been dug, open with the body missing.
Source: Facebook
No one knew what had happened, who was responsible, or why it had occurred.
"What is going on here?" read the caption on the viral video that triggered various reactions online.
Villagers murmur near gravesite
In the clip, the villagers could be seen surrounding the gravesite, their faces filled with bewilderment.
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Some stood akimbo, others with their hands behind their backs, silently staring at the grave.
They murmured quietly, seemingly trying to piece together what could have transpired and what the incident could mean.
A large hole had been left after the grave was dug up, lying bare in the middle of a maize plantation.
Social media reactions to grave dug open
It was suspected that the people who opened the grave had allegedly stolen the body.
Susan Maina:
“Those are dogs digging there. They have a strong sense of smell. They did this to my mother’s grave, we locked them up in their kennels for three months nonstop.”
Patrick Mukoya:
“I hear people saying an animal might have been digging, and that’s fine, but in Luhya culture, we also have these issues. If the dead person keeps appearing in your dreams or you're facing unexplained problems, some people perform rituals and later decide to exhume or even burn the grave. This could have been an attempt to burn the body, or maybe it really was an animal. This kind of thing isn’t limited to Western Kenya, many Bantu cultures share these practices.”
Zimpia Alfemia:
“Even at our place in Tulia, we found the same thing at my father-in-law’s grave. After investigating, we discovered it was squirrels that had dug inside.”
Yvette Mugeni:
“Maybe they locked the deceased’s house and he decided to ‘unlock’ his way out 🤭🤭🤭. But it looks like someone may have tried to steal the coffin, there are people who steal coffins after burials. Or maybe he was murdered, and those responsible wanted to burn the body so his spirit wouldn't haunt them.”
Kambi Kenya:
“That’s clearly a wild animal. No human could fit in that hole, and the toxic smell inside the grave would’ve caused asphyxiation. You guys are seriously overthinking this.”
Otieno Esther:
“It could be the killer trying to exhume and burn the body, maybe the deceased's spirit is haunting them.”
Brian Njenga:
“This must be a Gen Z who felt cold and decided to return to the womb, where it’s warm.” 😄
An elder, Wilberforce Anyanga told TUKO.co.ke such acts have elements of witchcraft and would advise the villagers to seek spiritual counsel.
"Why would someone dig a grave and leave it open like that? It is not normal. It is not ordinary. The residents need to seek spiritual and divine intervention to counter such acts. They need to pray and pray ernestly for such wickedness to go away. The living have no relationship with the dead. It can only mean this is witchcraft and should be approached from a spiritual angle," he told said.
Source: Getty Images
Kenyan law on theft of corpses
According to Kenyan law, stealing or interfering with a dead body is a serious crime.
While the law does not directly use the words body theft, it clearly says that anyone who disturbs a grave or mishandles a corpse without permission can be jailed.
Section 137 says:
"Whoever unlawfully hinders the burial of the dead body of any person, or without lawful authority in that behalf disinters, dissects or harms the dead body of any person, or, being under a duty to cause the dead body of any person to be buried, fails to perform that duty, is guilty of a misdemeanour."
The misdemeanour can lead to imprisonment of up to two years, a fine or both.
Similarly, under public health laws and local by-laws, disturbing graves without legal authorisation (like court orders) is equally illegal.
Embu family finds grave in compound
In another story, a family in Embu county was left in shock after waking up to find a freshly dug grave in their compound, complete with a wooden cross.
According to one family member, they had no disputes with anyone in the village that could explain such a disturbing incident.
The scene attracted curious villagers, and police officers visited the home to carry out investigations.
Racheal Nyaguthie, HoD Human Interest, added details of the Kenyan law.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
