Body of man beheaded, secretly buried and exhumed

Police exhume the body of John Ndirangu Wanjau, 60, who was hacked to death by his two sons and daughter last Friday after a quarrel over land in Metha village, Wiyumiririe, Laikipia County. [Mose Sammy/Standard]

Police yesterday exhumed the body of a 60-year-old man who was beheaded and secretly buried in Wiyumiririe, Laikipia County.

The decomposing body of John Ndirangu, 60, was buried barely five metres from a house where he lived with his wife Margaret Mumbi.

Ndirangu’s two sons and a daughter are being held as police probe the killing.

Police suspect that the killing happened on Friday when Ndirangu's wife had travelled for a relative's burial.

Reported missing

The three siblings were arrested on Saturday after neighbours reported their father missing.

Neighbours told The Standard that Ndirangu was last seen on Friday when he came home after attending a funeral in the neighbouring village.

Laikipia Central OCPD Ben Changulo said police received reports that Ndirangu had gone missing and that neighbours were concerned for his safety.

“We started our investigations on the whereabouts of Ndirangu and we moved to court on Monday morning seeking an exhumation and once these orders were granted we came to the home for this exercise,” Changulo added.

Villagers reported hearing commotion from the homestead shortly after Ndirangu returned home.

The following day, he went missing.

“I went to the house on Saturday with the chief after hearing some commotion, one of the children said she had not seen him," said Peter Kimemia, a village elder.

The villagers then called in the police who launched investigations before locating the grave close to the house.

In the compound where Ndirangu met his death, poorly constructed wooden houses stand close together, some sharing walls with barely enough room for foot paths.

A muddy patch covered with Napier grass was cordoned off by police officers who pointed out the spot as where Ndirangu’ was killed.

Since Saturday, police officers had been guarding the grave, as they waited for the court to give orders.

Digging started with caution on the small patch of earth under a short shrub as soon as crime scene officers arrived.

Ndirangu's mutilated body was buried less than a metre deep.

Some villagers fled while others wailed when his headless body was finally exhumed.

His desolate wife remained in her house, as strangers and friends alike milled around her compound unable to come to terms with the killing.

At the time of the incident, Mumbi had travelled to Nanyuki for a funeral and came home to find police combing her farm, her husband missing and her children in handcuffs.

She has not spoken a word since.

Harrison Ndung'u, a nephew to Ndirangu, said the family was in shock after the incident and appealed to the Government to ensure justice was served on those responsible.