DNA test to identify 10 student bodies

Ten bodies of students killed in the Garissa attack will undergo a DNA test for identification, pathologists have said.

The pathologist said the students’ fingerprints do not match those on their national IDs.

Prof Henry Mutoro, who is in charge of family support and bodies identification, said only the 10 are remaining.

During the April 2 raid at Garissa University College, 147 people were killed.

Out of those, 142 were students.

Mutoro yesterday said four bodies have been claimed by different families.

He attributed the double claiming to the bad mutilation, making it difficult for relatives to identify them.

The bodies with double claiming are that of Doreen Gakii (Tigania East), Emily Namaemba (Bungoma), Jackson Tanui (Uasin Gishu) and Faith Chepkorir.

He said most of the bodies have been collected and by next week, the tents should have been cleared.

Susan Chelagat from Uasin Gishu says since last Saturday she has not managed to identify her son Tanui.

He was a first year business management student.

Chelagat said she had identified a body but was called later and told it was someone else.

“I don’t have any strength left. I feel weaker each day,” she said amid tears. Cosmos Musebe from Bungoma suffers the same fate as his 21-year-old daughter has not been identified.

Musebe said Namaemba was a second year education student.

“My daughter was the Students Union vice-chair and the Christian Union leader,” he said.

Musebe said Dorothy Nyongesa, his daughter’s best friend, had been identified.

He said they were praying together before the attack.

Musebe said he had earlier identified a body, but was late told it belonged to someone else.