Nakuru — Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo has dismissed reports alleging that his administration released 33 unclaimed bodies for disposal in Kericho, insisting that only 13 bodies were handed over for burial procedures.

Nyaribo explained that the county government provided Sh38,000 to facilitate the disposal process, but accused the individual assigned the responsibility of failing to follow proper legal procedures.

He alleged that the official tasked with handling the exercise later colluded with others in Kericho and unlawfully buried the bodies at Makaburini Cemetery, contrary to established protocols.

The governor further confirmed that the officer involved in the assignment is among two individuals who have since been arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in connection with the matter.

At the same time, Nyaribo strongly denied allegations that 33 unclaimed bodies were released by his administration, terming the claims inaccurate.

In a related development, post-mortem examinations conducted on eight exhumed adult bodies from a mass grave at Makaburini revealed that two of the deceased died as a result of blunt force trauma, raising further questions about the circumstances surrounding the burials.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing as authorities seek to establish how the bodies were handled and whether proper procedures were followed.