Outrage in Homa Bay as man buried without coffin over stinginess claims

A fresh grave. [Courtesy, Getty Images]

A 40-year-old man has been buried without a coffin over claims that he was mean and never contributed to any burial that happened at the home.

North-East Kadem chief Onyango Akal said the man’s relatives have since been summoned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for questioning after they were reported by people who were unhappy with how the man's burial was conducted.

The man's relatives are said to have refused to take him to the mortuary but issued orders that he be taken home as they arranged for his burial.

Chief Akal said the man was rushed to the hospital when his condition worsened, but died before receiving treatment on Sunday night at around 8 pm.

It was until his family members were informed about his death that they said his body be transported home.

“They refused to take him to the mortuary, saying that no one was ready to shoulder the bills,” Chief Akal stated.

According to the chief, the relatives claimed that the man who separated from his wife 10 years ago and has been living alone, has not been contributing to family funerals.

He was not accorded a befitting send off as the other departed relatives from that home received during their burials, where food would be prepared and proper arrangements made.

The relatives, instead of preparing a burial celebration, only wrapped the man in a blanket and buried him without a coffin.

Luo Council of Elders Odungi Randa argued that the Luo Culture did not require one to be buried in a coffin and that their burial would be conducted very fast, unlike in the modern world, where one is kept in a mortuary for a long period of time and placed in a coffin.

"There was nothing like someone being placed in a coffin. One would only be wrapped in a white linen and be buried. There was not much spending," Mzee Randa said.

He said there would be no cooking at the homestead that had a funeral, but neighboring homes would instead bring food.