Malindi woman returns home from Italy dead, in a box, with no heart, eyes and liver

A family in Malindi is having a hard tie coming to terms with the death of their kin who after 15 years living in Italy has returned dead, in a metal box and missing several vital internal organs.

The deceased, 36-year-old Amani Luwali, had been living with her Italian husband since 2016 having travelled to the European country in 2004.

Josphine Mrima, the mother of the deceased, says she was shocked when she got word of her daughter’s death in September from friends in Italy.

“I don’t know how she died and I don’t even know if she was sick. Our friends in Italy just told me that she was dead. The husband later revealed that she had died and a requiem mass was to be conducted and the body was to be cremated the following day,” the devasted mother said.

“I objected because according to our customs we don’t cremate bodies and I ordered for her body to be brought back home.”

The family was beyond shocked when the body arrived at the Star Hospital mortuary in Malindi town in a mysterious state.

The body had been concealed in a tamper-proof metal box, which had to be broken for viewing. It also had stitches all over and the eyes had been removed and replaced with plastic ones.

The heart, major blood vessels, kidneys and liver are also said to be missing.

James Karisa, brother to the deceased said a post-mortem exercise has failed to determine the course of death due to the missing vital organs.

He said the matter has been reported to Marereni police station in Magarini Sub County for immediate follow-up.

The family has halted all burial plans for their kin as they await a conclusive investigation.

The husband, whose name is withheld pending investigations had allegedly made arrangements for the body to be flown to Kenya via the Mombasa International Airport with instructions that the container carrying it should not be opened.

“The husband promised to bring the body and when it arrived at Mombasa International Airport, we were told not to view it but I insisted that we must view it. The body was transferred to Malindi Star mortuary where the coffin was opened and we saw the body which was in a very awkward state,” she added.