Gospel artist Ruth Matete was finally accorded the green light to bury her Nigerian husband, John Olakami Apewajoye, three months after he passed away.
However, a huge medical bill accrued at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and the hospital's decision not to release the body despite a directive issued by detectives will prove a major challenge to her.
In June 2020, the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) sleuths directed KNH to waive charges on body storage. KNH declined while arguing that its policies prohibited waiving the fees.
Matete's lawyer Robert Odanga affirmed that the bill had skyrocketed to over Ksh 650,000 while questioning the motive behind the directive to allow the burial, following months of conflict between Matete and the Nigerian High Commission.
The Commission had directed the hospital and the DCI to detain the body at the behest of his family, despite post mortem being undertaken and a conclusive autopsy report released.
"Has the case been closed? Is there a complainant? Are the homicide detectives still using the items they picked from her house such as her phones? Can she get them back?" attorney Odanga wondered while addressing the media on Monday, July 6.
The lawyer reiterated that Matete's career had stalled and her life was in disarray owing to the financial constraints she was facing. A pay bill was generated to aid Matete in raising money to pay the accruing morgue bills.
Apewajoye passed away on April 11 while undergoing treatment at KNH owing to an accidental gas explosion at their home in Great Wall Gardens, Athi River.
"It was a very serious burn and the husband was placed in ICU in two separate hospitals. Catering for such a person was not easy, it was an expensive affair to cater for the high degree of burns.
"Friends and family have chipped in but she is still unable to cater for the two bills and on top of that Ruth is incurring morgue expenses," Odanga had earlier on stated while speaking with Kenyans.co.ke, clarifying reports that Matete had gone broke.
