By Muturi Mwangi
A 76-year-old man has left residents of Mumero village, Timau in Meru in shock and disbelief after he allegedly exhumed his dead wife’s remains in bid to sell a piece of land.
Kithithina location Senior Chief Lucy Mutwiri confirming the incident saying, it was a bizarre incident that has left residents speaking in hush tones and with disbelief.
“It is an odd thing that ever happened in my area and that is why my residents alerted me on what had transpired. I visited the scene and found that the grave had been moved from where it was previously,” confirmed the chief.
Robert Marangu, the farm owner, is said to have sought the help of locals to exhume the body of his deceased wife Joyce Kanyua who died in 2021 after a land buyer said he couldn’t buy the land with a grave on it.
“He decided to sell the piece of land where he had buried his wife and he thought the wise thing to do was to move the body,” said Mrs Mutwiri, adding that the man was assisted to exhume the body and rebury it in a shallow grave by his grandchild and two other neighbours.
Buuri Sub-County Directorate of Criminal Investigation Officer (DCI) Joseph Wambua said the persons involved were arrested and taken to Timau Police Station awaiting to be arraigned in court.
A resident, Pius Mwirigi, urged the authorities to ensure the suspects are charged to stop such incidents from happening in the future.