Family Demand Body of Relative who Died Over Mysterious Religious Differences
Eunice Tabu mother of the deceased Samuel Kirao. (Photo By Robby Ngoba)
By Robby Ngoba
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
A family at Takaungu village of Mnarani Ward in Kilifi County is in a catch-22 situation after being denied the body of a deceased son at the Kilifi County Referral Hospital mortuary over religious differences.
As if that is not enough, the family has been slapped with a court order from Kilifi’s Khadhi Court restricting them from burying their son until the matter is resolved.
Elder brother, Kalume Kirao, speaking to the media at their home village said the deceased, Samuel Kirao, 27, was brought-up in a Christian family set-up, and thus, deserved to be given a decent sent-off as per the Christian proceedings.
The deceased, said to have had mental sickness, was lynched by angry villagers on April 15, 2025 after allegedly killing a muslim elderly man in the area.
“I am a blood brother to the late who died on April 15, 2025. He was attending church services despite his challenges but later we were told he secretly join Islamic. As a family we took this as rumours because we did not receive any medical or communication from them,” he said.
He disclosed that upon receiving the news of the death they rushed to the Kilifi Mortuary, but they did not see the body. They were directed to Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) where they went and found the body.
At the CGTRH mortuary, Kalume said that they were instructed to obtain a letter from the police to allow them move the body back to Kilifi hospital mortuary in a bide to avert more cost.
“As a family we agree not to carry out postmotherm because we already knew the condition of our brother. So after securing an affidavit we successful moved the body to the mortuary in redness for the preparation for the burial.
Everything was moving well but on April 25 at around 5:00 pm we were shocked after being served with a Court Order restricting us from burying our brother,” he said with a sombre mode.
The elder brother wants the government to intervene the matter so that they can give their loved one a decent sent-off.
He stated that the family has already suffered a loss of more than Sh400,000 and fears that more bills would accrue further if the body continued to be detained at the morgue.
“Bills keeps accumulating every passing day and this is worrying us because very soon will be overwhelmed.”
Stephen Kazungu Charo, the deceased father is devastated and pained by what is happening since his son passed on that has disrupted their normal lives.
Narrating the death of his son, Mzee Charo expressed disappointment of being denied to bury his child saying it was causing him health problems.
“As a family, we are depressing and untold mental suffering as we ponders when we will lay our son to rest,” he said.
Similar sentiments have been echoed by her mother, Eunice Tabu, who acknowledged that the condition of his son started deteriorating when he visited the mosque.
“When my son was receiving prayers from our pastor he was improving well but when he sneaks to the mosque things start changing and become worse.
I am only hoping for the government to intervene this matter because our greatest desire is to accord our son a decent sent-off,” she said.
The mother stated that the family was now worried that the body if continue to be detained at the mortuary, they might not be able to bury their kin in good condition hence their hopes were waning.
A mortuary attendant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the facility had been served with a court order and they were waiting for the two to reach an agreement so that they could release the body.
“Yes, we received on order to withhold the body and we are now waiting some communication from them if they resolved their differences definitely will release the body,” he said.
