The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has dismissed speculation linking dozens of human remains discovered in a mass grave in Kericho to murder, saying investigators are instead pursuing cases of negligence and violations of public health and documentation laws.
DCI Director Mohamed Amin said preliminary findings indicate the remains originated from the Nyamira Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary and were improperly handled before being buried at Makaburini Cemetery, owned by the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) Kericho branch.
“People are talking about mass murder. This is nothing about murder here. We are just talking about negligence and accountability, and we will take appropriate action,” Amin told reporters.
Investigators recovered thirty-nine human remains from the site, comprising thirty-three bodies and six body parts. Amin said most of the remains lacked proper mortuary identification, raising serious concerns over record-keeping and burial procedures.
“We noted severe irregularities in mortuary tagging and documentation. The vast majority of the 39 remains lacked the standard official mortuary tags,” he said. “Only a few had illegible hospital tags or informal handwritten wrist or foot tags.”
Hospital records reviewed by detectives show that forty-six infants may have died in wards and were transferred to the mortuary, but documentation does not account for their discharge or burial—pointing to significant gaps in records management.
DCI officers have also obtained surveillance footage showing that on March 19, 2026, four bags were loaded into a white Toyota Land Cruiser by the hospital’s chief mortician under the supervision of the facility’s public health officer. The vehicle has since been impounded as evidence.
Amin said investigators are working closely with the Ministry of Health and the NCCK to establish accountability and ensure compliance with public health and mortuary management regulations. He added that those found culpable of negligence or misconduct will face prosecution.
