An elderly digger was Sunday night buried alive in the Denmark area in Kisii, Kitutu Chache South.
The motive for working at night on the house foundation was not immediately ascertained.
The body of Machuki Manga'ng'a, 60, was retrieved Monday from the site by officers from Nyanchwa with the help of the villagers.
Mokeira Makori, the wife to the deceased's brother, told journalists she saw him late Sunday heading to the site.
"He was planning to set up additional rental units and was digging a new foundation," she said
"He could often sleep in one of the units when there was much with to do at the site. Sunday was one of them and his family members thought he slept there only to be found dead in the trench."
Kitutu Chache South subcounty police commander Anthony Keter said they were called Monday morning about the incident.
"We visited and documented the occurrence for investigations," he told the Star by phone.
The body was taken to the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital morgue.