By Mandere Onyinkwa
A suspected mass grave containing multiple bodies, some reportedly mutilated, has been found at Makaburini public cemetery in Kericho East Sub-County.
According to a police report logged at Kericho Police Station on Saturday, the grave was discovered following a tip-off from members of the public, whose identities have been withheld and coded for security reasons.
A team comprising officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), scenes of crime personnel, and uniformed police visited the site located approximately 1.5 kilometres northeast of the station.
“It was established that there was a fresh grave at the said public cemetery,” part of the report reads.
Investigators were led to the scene by two local casual labourers who earn a living by digging graves.
The two, whose names have also been coded, told police they were hired under suspicious circumstances earlier in the week.
“They alleged that on March 19, a motor vehicle with three occupants arrived and held a lengthy discussion with a caretaker at the cemetery,” the report states.
The situation escalated the following morning.
“On March 20 at about 6:00am, the same individuals returned in a white Land Cruiser and engaged them to dig a mass grave,” the report adds.
According to the witnesses, approximately 14 bodies — all packed in body bags, with some allegedly mutilated — were then dumped into the grave.
The revelation has sent shockwaves across Kericho, raising serious concerns over possible criminal activity, including organized killings or illegal disposal of bodies.
Police say investigations are ongoing, with detectives now seeking to trace and question a cemetery caretaker identified as Ezekiel, who is believed to have interacted with the suspects.
Authorities have also indicated that a formal request for exhumation of the bodies will be made on March 23, 2026, to allow forensic analysis and possible identification of the victims.
“More progress will follow,” the report concludes.
The incident comes at a time when Kenya has witnessed rising public concern over cases of mysterious deaths and unclaimed bodies, prompting calls for greater transparency and accountability in mortuary and burial processes.
Police urged members of the public with any information that could assist in the investigation to come forward, assuring them of confidentiality.