Family seeks justice for dead relative with missing organs

A family in Kilifi is seeking justice after their relative died under unclear circumstances in Italy and the body was brought without vital internal organs.

They were forced to suspend burial plans after the postmortem established that the deceased's body was missing the heart, both kidneys, both eyeballs and a bone marrow.

Relatives said the deceased, Amani Luwali, 36, was married to an Italian national and has a 15-year-old daughter.

When journalists visited their home in Mjanaheri, Magarini subcounty family members together with Haki Africa, a Human Rights organisation was still trying to come to terms with the mystery. 

Josephine Nzingo the deceased's mother said her daughter died in Italy on October 27.

She said the body arrived at Moi International Airport Mombasa but they were told not to open the coffin there.

Nzingo said they however found the body had no eyes and her body had changed forcing them to report the matter to the police station in Marereni.

She said she doesn't know know why her daughter's internal organs were removed and where they were taken to.

"I urge the Government of Kenya to establish the cause of her death. Let them collaborate with the Italian government and take action," the mother said amid sobs.

She said she has been in agony for two months as she has not been able to get answers on her daughter's death.

Nzingo said the deceased was her sixth born and had stayed in Italy for the last 15 years.

The postmortem was reportedly done at Malindi subcounty hospital.

The report seen by journalists was signed by Dr Job Gayo.

It revealed that Amani was found dead on September 27 this year in her house in Italy with blood stains on her nose and mouth.

The report also revealed that the body had a missing heart, all major blood vessels including the aorta, both kidneys and both eyeballs were missing and replaced by plastic oval objects.

"Cause of death cannot be determined due to missing vital organs. No heart, liver, kidneys and major blood vessels. It appears organ harvesting has been done," the report said.

James Luwali, the deceased's elder brother said they were shocked that the inlaws did not inform them of the death and they learned about it through friends.

He said they later learned that the Italian inlaws were planning to cremate the body, forcing them to oppose the move and demand that the body be brought home for burial rites.

James said when the body arrived in Mombasa, it had been sealed tightly.

He said upon opening the body, it had a lot of stitches and was without eyes, which raised suspicion.

The family resolved to do a postmortem to establish the truth.

James urged the Kenyan government to conduct investigations on the cause of the death.

"We want to know where my sister's vital organs are. Whether they were sold or donated. Amani still has a mother and they would have told us the same way they did when they wanted to cremate her body," he said.

James said her sister was a strong pillar of the family as she used to support her schooling siblings adding that her death was a big loss to the family.

Haki Africa response team led by Mathias Shipeta also called on the DCI, and embassies of Kenya and Italy to investigate the matter.

He said the agencies should help the family know the truth about what transpired in Italy, the cause of death and how body parts ended up missing.

Shipeta said as a human rights organisation they suspect foul play in Amani death in Italy.

"The way the body is is not the state in which a normal body is supposed to be. Postmortem has revealed that her vital internal organs are missing and they are the ones that could have helped in establishing the cause of death," he said.

Shipeta called on the DCI and Interpol to follow up on the matter and ensure the family gets justice as they suspect the internal organs could have been sold.