Suspected remains of ex-KVDA boss Silvenus Tubei exhumed

 

Police have exhumed suspected remains of Former Kerio Valley Development Authority managing director Engineer Silvenus Tubei who disappeared more than 12 years ago.

Homicide officers along with staff from the public health department exhumed the remains which were discovered buried in a shallow grave a few metres away from his palatial home along a flower bed. 

Tubei went missing from his home in Kabiemit village, Chepkurmum, Tumeiyo location in Keiyo south subcounty, in the morning of September 26, 2012. It is here that the remains were exhumed.

Keiyo South Police Commander Dahir confirmed that the remains had been exhumed following a court order they obtained.

"We will now move the remains to a morgue to facilitate further investigations," said Dahir.

He urged members of the public and relatives to give any information on the disappearance of Tubei to help in renewed investigations.

Dahir said at the time of his disappearance, a report was made at the Kaptagat police station and some suspects were arrested but could not be charged before court.

He said the DCI team would speed up the analysis of the exhumed remains and give out a report soon.

Dahir however said that with the discovery of the remains, the probe into the matter would begin afresh.

"It's now fresh investigations starting with the process of conforming details on the remains," said Dahir.

A pathologist Dr Kibet Keittany who was present said the exhumed remains were a complete skeleton of a human being.

He said they however found the skull appeared to have been crushed.

"The skeleton is complete and will be used in the investigations," said Dr Kibet.

Tubei's brother Alexander Tubei and cousin Samuel Chepkwony were among hundreds of residents who witnessed the exhumation.

Chepkwony said they knew Tubei as a good person who never offended anyone and were shocked by his disappearance.

"At times after retiring he engaged in heavy drinking but later changed to be a good person before he disappeared," said Chepkwony.

He said they want quick justice done to ensure his killers have been brought to book.

"We have given up on searching for him and with this discovery, it is just God's work," said Chepkwony.

Alexander Tubei who is a brother to the missing person said they had extensively searched for his his brother in vain.

"We thank God that the truth is now coming out to help us have a closure," he said.

Hundreds of relatives and friends have turned up to witness the exercise.

Three days ago, a gardener stumbled on a blanket buried while trying to dig out of the ground and discovered a complete adult human skeleton.

The clothes the deceased wore the morning he disappeared matched those inside the blanket and the skeleton, prompting a distress call by the family. 

Albert said they were almost sure the remains were those of their kin. 

Officers from the DCI had secured the area, marked it as a crime scene, and asked the family of Tubei to protect it until an order from the court was secured to have it exhumed.

The remains have been moved to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital morgue in Eldoret.

Investigators would be looking for DNA to confirm if it matches that of Tubei and establish the circumstances under which he lost his life.

BY  MATHEWS NDANYI