Kitale Cleric Arrested Over Death of Mother-in-Law

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

22 July 2011

Police in Kitale have arrested a clergyman suspected of killing his mother-in-law.

Abraham Wafula Wekesa, a bishop of Mt. Elgon Bible Christian Ministry was arrested on Tuesday in Gatua-Bondeni village after villagers accosted him while delivering a coffin he intended to bury the corpse of his late mother in law.

Suspicious villagers raised eyebrows on the possible cause of death of the elderly woman that had no obvious illness, leading to the arrest of the clergyman.

Kitale Police Boss Mwachiro Nyambu confirmed the incident and said the police were investigating the matter saying the suspect would be charged with murder once the police are through with their investigations.

According to the area Chief Sylvester Momanyi, the Bishop had delivered the corpse of the deceased Kokola Sevenzia, 52, on a motorbike at midnight at a house she used to live in and left without notifying anybody. “Abraham brought the corpse of his late mother in-law in the middle of the night on a motorbike and left immediately without notifying anybody over her death,” said Momanyi.

The deceased, who neigbours claim was last seen on Saturday was healthy and had not complained of any sickness. They were expressed shocked to see her mutilated body that had no eyes, no tongue and had burns that looked like acid burns.

According to the area Chief, the suspect had told his wife that the corpse had been dropped at the home by an ambulance from a nearby nursing home . The suspect who is married to the only daughter and child of the deceased is alleged to have informed some villagers earlier that his mother in-law was sick and had died at Mukumu Hospital and was making arrangements to bring the corpse using a hospital ambulance.

The villagers claimed that the woman might have been killed on Sunday and the corpse kept in a maize plantation before being delivered later. They point out the corpse was dirty and had pollen grains on it and was not in a coffin when it was delivered home, contrary to the norm of a corpses picked from a hospital facility. Villagers suspect foul play given that cleric had earlier on sold a section of a plot with rented houses without the knowledge of the deceased.

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