Shock in Wajir as family exhumes the body of taxi driver who died two weeks ago

Fresh grave of Ali Mohamed (Ali Tumbo) after the body was exhumed Saturday night. (Facebook)

By: Abdikadir Ukash

WAJIR—Shock and surprise engulfed a location in Wajir town on Saturday after a certain family members were forced to dig out a two-week old grave in a bid to prove to the villagers that the “occupant” was actually dead.

It was claimed that Ali Mohamed alias Ali Tumbo who died two weeks ago”could be heard crying in his grave” overnight and the villagers grew uncomfortable about the rumours, eventually unearthing the fresh gave to settle the matter.

Ali, a long-time taxi driver, died at his home in Hodan location an hour after he oversaw the funeral of a neighbour who passed on the previous night. He came home exhausted and went straight to bed where he was found unconscious. He was rushed to a near-by health centre and was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Just last week, section of women in the location started spreading rumours that the deceased was “alive and crying in his grave.” An unidentified woman even went further and claimed that Ali had been constantly visiting her in her dreams pleading to be exhumed because, the women insisted, he was buried while he was alive.

The rumour became so rife and morphed into a heated subject of discussion on social media after the chief of Got-Rahma location Nuh Hussein posted it on his Facebook about the planned exhumation.

Commenting on the shocking revelation on Facebook, Abdirahman Mohamed Malele  probed the chief  to explain more. “This story of Mr. Ali tumbo is becoming the order of the day so pls (Sic) explain more….was he removed and if so was he a live or died?”

The chief replied that, obviously, the body was decomposing.

Mohamed Hajji Noor Affey ended the conversation. “Does it look (like) he was buried alive!”

The sub-chief of Hodan location Chief Samatar said the police are looking for the individuals who conducted the exercise Saturday evening, adding that it was illegal to exhume a body without the knowledge of the government.

“They are setting a bad precedent and we are not going to allow it,” he told Kulan Post on the phone.

“The family was pressured by individuals who make a living out of spreading myths and misconceptions within the community and it’s time to put this to stop,” he added.

An attempted exhumation exercise last week was stopped by the religious leaders in the area who termed the exercise unlawful because they were not exhaustively convinced about the necessity of the exercise.

In the Kenyan law, exhumation can only be done when a court orders for such exercise as part of a criminal investigation. The body can also be exhumed if the family members notify the government of their intention to move the remains to another location for customary and religious purposes.

It was the first time such a matter was reported in Wajir and the Saturday night event marks the beginning of a new page in the history of the century old town.