On January 13, 2021, the family of the late Margaret Alegai Ekwal left their home and headed to Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary where they were to pick the deceased for burial.
The family insisted on viewing the body only to find that the body they were given did not belong to their kin.
They reported the case at the Nanyuki Police Station with the hope of getting justice. It was at the same station where they reported her death since she died at home.
Samuel Lochakari Ekwal, the son of the deceased, told Nation that the hospital tried to get them to bury the wrong body. He added that the hospital had not been helpful in the search of their mother and that they had been told to get a DNA test.
“We left the coffin, clothes, and flowers at the mortuary after they tried to get us to collect the wrong body. Since my mother died it has been my wish to accord her the last respect. But that wish has been denied by the hospital’s management.
“The hospital’s management has been taking us in circles. Telling us to pay for DNA is just a scheme by the hospital to deny us justice because we cannot afford the service,” Samuel said.
Laikipia County Chief Officer for Heath, Donald Mugoi, however, maintains that the body is that of Margret and an error could not have happened.
“The labelling of the body is very clear that it belongs to the family. It is true that we are in possession of the body at the morgue and that it has not been claimed by anybody. Claiming that the body is different is a total lie.
“They are claiming that the body does not belong to them, hence the only tiebreaker is for them to facilitate DNA testing as an alternative option. If you feel the body is not that of your mother, then conduct DNA and I am one hundred sure that it would turn out to be their body,” Mugoi stated.
The family says that they have undergone emotional torture due to the ordeal.
“We have suffered enough emotional torture and our prayer is that we will get the correct body. We are a family and we cannot all be telling a lie that the body is not ours,” a relative said.
Margaret died on January 7 due to old age complications. The family continues to petition the health department to produce the correct body of their kin.
