Surgeon’s body ‘disappears’ from mortuary

Dr Naftary Munene was attached to Kirinyaga Level Five Hospital. He died in Subukia in a road crash

by SAMUEL WAITITU KNA

Health27 February 2025 - 21:24

In Summary

The morgue has exonerated itself from blame, saying it had option but to release the body to the person who had booked it at the mortuary.

The family of a surgeon from Embu is seeking assistance to trace his body after it was transferred from a mortuary to an unknown place.

The development has thrown into disarray the funeral arrangements of 41-year-old consultant surgeon Dr Naftary Munene, who died in a road crash on February 8.

The surgeon was attached to Kirinyaga Level Five Hospital and had been ailing for some time, according to his parents.

He died in Subukia, Nakuru County, when his vehicle allegedly veered off the road and hit a culvert at night. He was accompanied by his wife Jane Wangui, who survived, the parents said.

The family, from Munyutu Village in Runyenjes Constituency, said they were dissatisfied with the first post-mortem, which indicated he suffered several broken ribs.

They claimed it was done in their absence.

"By the time we were arriving at Nyahururu Town to view his body hours upon death, we found that postmortem had already been organised," said Esther Wanja, Dr Munene’s mother.

She said after the results, the body was moved closer home at Gakwegori Funeral Home in Embu, even as burial arrangement commenced at his parents’ home.

The family requested another post-mortem on Monday but they were told Dr Munene’s body was discharged from Gakwegori Funeral Home near Embu Town on Sunday.

“We were told, she (the person who booked it) picked the body," his mother stated.

She said their efforts to trace his body in the neighbouring mortuaries bore no fruit.

The morgue has exonerated itself from blame, saying they had option bit to release the body to the person who had booked it at the mortuary.

"Mourners who used to frequent our home for prayers and funeral arrangements left and what we are asking is for assistance to be able to trace his body so that we can accord him a befitting sendoff as his family," Dr Munene’s mother said.

His father David Njeru, who visited the scene of accident and saw the vehicle, said said the car suffered minimal damage.

"That is why we are asking detectives to assist us in unraveling the cause of his death," he said.

Village elder Silas Njeru also asked authorities to step in and end the family's agony.

"Everything here is in disarray, funeral arrangements have stopped, the body of the doctor who was revered here in the village is missing and the family is in pain," he said.

In Kenya, mortuary law is primarily governed by Section 137 of the Penal Code, which essentially states that it is an offence to unlawfully hinder the burial of a dead body, meaning the next of kin has the primary right to dispose of the body.

However, there is no comprehensive legislation specifically detailing procedures for handling or settling disputes regarding dead bodies or burial practices.

This often leads to reliance on customary law and court interpretations in case of disagreements.