Speaking on Saturday, March 28, 2026, Murkomen said security agencies had moved swiftly after the discovery of the grave and promised that anyone involved in the illegal disposal of bodies would face prosecution.
The Interior CS condemned the manner in which the burial was conducted, saying it violated the legal procedures governing the handling and disposal of human remains.
“I must say here that what happened is not acceptable. There was a court order for disposal of unclaimed bodies from Nyamira Referral Hospital, and that court order specified exactly the number of bodies that were supposed to be disposed. It was not supposed to happen in darkness,” Murkomen said.
According to the CS, preliminary investigations indicate that the burial was organised by officials from the Nyamira County Government, particularly those linked to the management of Nyamira Referral Hospital.
The bodies were reportedly transported and buried in a private cemetery under circumstances that investigators believe were intentionally concealed.
Murkomen said the burial was conducted during odd hours and outside the legal framework that governs such procedures.
“It was done in unholy hours and disposed in an improper manner because it was being done in a clandestine manner, possibly because there was monetary gain,” he said.
Authorities have since discovered that the number of bodies buried exceeded the number that had been authorised by the court for disposal.
“We have now established that the bodies are more than the ones that the court had ordered,” Murkomen added.
The Interior CS praised the quick response of the National Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), saying their intervention helped secure the site and initiate forensic examinations.
“I want to thank the Inspector-General and the DCI because they moved in swiftly, and we have done the proper investigations. People will be charged according to the law,” Murkomen stated.
As investigations continue, government pathologists have already conducted autopsies on several bodies recovered from the grave.
A team of forensic experts led by government pathologists Richard Njoroge, Donar Nyahunga, and Naomi Ariaga completed postmortems on eight male victims on March 27, 2026.
The findings revealed varied causes of death, suggesting that the individuals died under different circumstances.
Among the causes identified were pneumonia, septicaemia, advanced heart disease, pulmonary thromboembolism, head injuries, and cases involving choking combined with head trauma.
Two of the bodies examined had undetermined causes of death, prompting investigators to continue forensic analysis to establish whether foul play may have been involved.
Health officials from both Kericho and Nyamira counties were present during the autopsy process, highlighting the sensitive nature of the investigation.
Earlier examinations had also been conducted on the bodies of 25 children that were recovered from the same grave.
According to pathologists, ten of the children died due to complications related to premature birth, while four had injuries consistent with head trauma. Two cases had undetermined causes of death.
Of the children examined, eight were identified as male and ten as female, while seven could not be identified due to advanced decomposition.
Speaking after the postmortem examinations, pathologist Richard Njoroge said the bodies were in different stages of decomposition, suggesting they had been buried at different times.
“Prematurity as a cause of death, we found in 10, and then some sort of head injuries we found in four,” Njoroge explained.
The revelations have raised fresh concerns about how unclaimed bodies are handled in hospitals and mortuaries across the country.
Murkomen emphasised that the disposal of bodies must strictly follow established legal procedures to ensure transparency and accountability.
“It is important for every Kenyan to know that disposal of bodies or when someone has passed on, there is a procedure. There is a licence, there is information that you might get, and you must get the support of the security team of the place where you are undertaking this burial,” he said.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing as detectives work to establish how the burial was organised, who authorised it, and whether additional suspects could be involved.
The six suspects already arrested are expected to face charges once investigations are completed.
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