By MN Reporter

Confusion engulfed villagers at Kitoto in Ndhiwa following mistaken identity of deceased relative which was collected from a local morgue and buried elsewhere in a neighboring County.

Kitoto area villagers had travelled to Kona-Kobodo to collect a relative body only to be informed that the body had been released to bereaved family from Kadem in Nyatike and were directed to trace it to destination.

The Kitoto villagers travelled to Nyatike and upon learning that the body had been buried 8 days ago were gripped in rude shock, travelled back to Kona-Kobodi and engaged a lawyer to help them pursue the matter.

Aggrieved Kitoto villagers castigated administration in Kadem over failure to listen to their pleas in settling the confusion on the matter as the local chief allegedly ordered them to leave Kadem and go to court if they felt aggrieved.

Kitoto villagers rushed back to file legal battle but the matter was later settled when the a Migori County senior official intervened and ordered local administrator to allow exhumation of the body for re-burial at the ancestral land at Kitoto village in Ndhiwa and the matter was hurriedly solved.

The body of Linnet Aoko, a single mother of two was on Sunday re-=buried at KIitoto village at around noon as villagers thronged her home to witness the ceremony.

Relatives who had travelled from far areas to pay last respect of their departed relative went back disappointed wondering of what was to happen following that mistaken identity.

Deceased’s close relatives engulfed in deep sorrow condemned morgue attendants for causing confusion and rushed to Ho0ma-bay County headquarters but were disappointed ads they could not file petition as they were time barred and were to consult and engage lawyers to help them pursue the matter.

They appealed to local administrators to in future avoid taking side in sorting out such mistakes, blaming morgue attendants over failure to allow grieved families to correctly identify their departed relatives.

Relatives who had travelled from Nairobi to attend burial which had been scheduled on Friday were not able to attend burial on Sunday and SDA church officials responded quickly to help cool down tempers and the body of Linnet Aoko, in her forties was lowered to grave by around mid-day.

Family members were consulting to either withdraw court battle or proceed with it for compensation of expenses incurred while tracing the body