Vihiga family forced to exhume grave after learning they buried wrong body from Kisii

• A family in Chotero Village, Vihiga County, recently held a funeral and buried the remains of what they believed was their relative
• It emerged that while they were meant to bury Collins Onzere, the body they buried was of Polycarp Ondieki from Kisii
• They were thrown into grief afresh after police officers were given orders to exhume the three-week-old grave

A sombre cloud has descended over Chotero Village in Mbihi Sub-location, Vihiga County, after a grieving family discovered that the body they laid to rest three weeks ago did not belong to their relative.

The family had travelled to Nairobi to collect what they believed was the remains of their loved one, Collins Onzere, following his death.

With heavy hearts, they transported the body back home and conducted a burial ceremony attended by relatives, friends, and neighbours.

A source told NgGossips that their mourning was abruptly interrupted when another family from Kisii County raised concerns that their own kin’s body had gone missing under unclear circumstances.

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“Onzere was allegedly killed and dumped on the road, after which police officers picked up his body and took it to City Mortuary,” the source shared.

It later emerged that a mix-up at the city mortuary had resulted in the wrong body being released. Authorities were alerted, prompting an investigation that confirmed the tragic error.

Police have since exhumed the body of Polycarp Ondieki, who had been mistakenly buried in Chotero Village, in a process that has left both families emotionally shaken.

Plans are now underway to formalise the process through a court order, ensuring that the remains are returned to the rightful family.

This will allow both households to conduct proper burials and find some measure of closure after the distressing ordeal.

Meanwhile, the Mbihi family is preparing for yet another burial, as the body of Collins Onzere was finally transported from Nairobi for burial.

The incident has sparked concern among residents as the affected families focus on healing and honouring their loved ones with the dignity they deserve.

Kisii family exhumes woman’s body

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A similar incident occurred in Gotinyango, Nyaribari Masaba, Kisii County, in November 2025, after a woman believed to be dead and buried returned home.

The shocking discovery came seven months after the family had held a funeral for their daughter, Sarah, unaware she was still alive.

As it turned out, she had been involved in an accident and remained in a coma for two months, only to regain consciousness after her funeral.

The incident forced the family to seek legal permission to correct the tragic mistake, after which an exhumation was ordered, supervised by authorities.

Source: NgGossips