Dr. Kingori recently hosted John Kibera, a self-proclaimed notorious reformed gangster, on his show.
Kibera declared himself one of the “most respected thieves” in Kenya, citing the widespread disruption he and his gang caused between 1997 and 1999.
Kibera’s life took a turn when all his criminal associates died during their heists, leading him to pursue a new path. “Baada ya kuona bunduki haisaidi nkaona badala ya kusumbuwa binadamu akiwa hai, heri nimpe time aage dunia, ndiyo tena nkapata jina ya grave robber” which translates to: “After seeing that guns weren’t helping, I thought to myself, instead of disturbing people while they are alive, it’s better to give them time to die, and that’s how I got the name grave robber.”
The reformed gangster explained that he saw it as an offense for deceased individuals to be buried in expensive coffins, which led him to start stealing coffins from graveyards.
“The work started doing well after I got a team. Our work started early in the morning as we would go and buy newspapers only to turn to the obituary page.”
Kibera continued by detailing how they specifically chose their targets, noting that the amount of space a deceased person occupied in the obituary section of the newspaper indicated their wealth.
“Kama picha ni kubwa utajua uyu ako na pesa,” he stated, translating to: “If the picture is big, you will know this one has money.”
After identifying a target, the gang members would dress smartly and attend the deceased’s memorial service. There, they would gather crucial details, including the coffin’s origin and the burial site.
The most critical part of their operation was the burial day. Kibera and his team would then determine if the burial involved a coffin, as different customs were practiced.
“Others are burnt to ashes, they don’t need a coffin, and others are frozen; there are different ways they conduct their burials,” he said.
“We go there and cry our lungs out, yet we are there for business. I would even go to the hole where the coffin is, and my friends would hold me as if I wanted to jump in, yet I am just checking the locks, and I am like, we will meet at night, dear one,” he recounted, leaving Dr. Kingori’s audience laughing.
Under the cover of night, the gang would return to the burial site, remove the soil, extract the coffin, and even steal any jewelry found on the body.
After their grim task, they would meticulously clean the area, leaving no trace of their activities.
However, Kibera now looks back on these times with deep regret. Of the eight friends he trained, he is the only one still alive.
“Four of my partners got caught during a normal heist, and they were cut into pieces before being burned to ashes, while the others were shot down,” he concluded.
Kibera is now dedicated to helping young people by sharing his past experiences, hoping to guide them towards a better path.
By kelvin njenga
