DCI to file exhumation request in probe over reported mass graves in Kericho
By Kenneth Mwenda, March 22, 2026Detectives have moved to formally seek the exhumation of bodies from a suspected mass grave in Kericho, with the application set to be filed on Monday, March 23, 2026.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), through its Homicide Directorate, has taken over the case following earlier reports handled by local police. Officers are now focusing on securing legal approval to exhume the remains and establish what happened.
“A formal application for exhumation will be filed on March 23, 2026, to allow pathologists and forensic experts to recover the remains, establish the cause and manner of death, and attempt identification of the deceased,” DCI said in a statement.
The case emerged after two gravediggers reported suspicious activity at Makaburini Cemetery in Kericho East Sub-County. They told police that a group of individuals arrived at the site and later returned with a vehicle, allegedly instructing them to dig a large grave.
The men claimed they saw several bodies, packed in bags, being placed into a single pit. Their report prompted officers from Kericho Police Station, alongside crime scene personnel, to secure the area and begin preliminary investigations.
The DCI has since stepped in and assumed full control. The agency confirmed that detectives have travelled to Nyamira County, where some of the bodies are believed to have originated.
Probe focuses on irregularities
Preliminary findings indicate that thirteen unclaimed bodies were released from Nyamira County Referral Hospital and transported to Kericho for burial on the morning of March 20.
Investigators are now working to confirm whether the burials followed the law. They are also checking if there were any irregularities or criminal actions linked to the process.
“Investigators will also determine whether any criminal activity occurred beyond the reported irregularities in the burial process,” the DCI said.
Detectives have begun recording statements from key individuals, including public health officers, drivers, escorts and the cemetery caretaker. At least five witnesses have already recorded statements, with more interviews ongoing.
During a search at the caretaker’s residence, officers recovered a photocopy of a court order said to have authorised the burial of seven unclaimed bodies. The DCI noted that the original document and related paperwork will undergo formal verification.
Police have also located the vehicle suspected of transporting the bodies. The white Land Cruiser has been impounded and is undergoing forensic examination.
The cemetery remains sealed off, with officers maintaining round-the-clock guard to preserve evidence as investigations continue.
The DCI said it will examine all aspects of the case, including discrepancies in the number of bodies buried, the authenticity of documents and the condition of the remains once exhumation is approved.