Court rules on where university lecturer, who died in road crash, will be buried

A Bungoma court on Tuesday, July 2 ruled that a university lecturer who died in a road accident on June 1, be buried at his ancestral home in Karabur Village in Nyakach, Kisumu County -- and not at Kanduyi in Bungoma County where his wife wanted he be interred.

Charles Kenyalito, a lecturer at Kibabii University, died in a head-on-collision crash involving a 14-seater matatu and a bus at Matulo area in Webuye, Bungoma County.

The matatu was headed to Eldoret from Bungoma, whereas the bus was headed to Malaba from Nairobi.

Seven people, including the university don and a Second Year student at Kibabii University, died in the road accident.

The lecturer’s wife, Dorcus Kenyalito, told the court that she wished her husband would be buried at Kanduyi, where they had acquired land.

Charles’ family, on the other hand, opposed Dorcus’ proposal, saying they wanted their son buried on his ancestral land.

Magistrate C.A. Mutahi ordered that Charles, a father of four, be buried at his ancestral place according to Luo customs.

Dorcus, through her lawyer, vowed to proceed to the High Court to appeal against the lower court ruling.

Charles, who had 15 years of experience, was the head of science and agriculture department at Kibabii University.