Watch: Drama After ‘Buried’ Shakahola Suspect Appears Alive in Court

A dramatic scene unfolded at the Mombasa High Court this week. The courtroom was reportedly stunned. A man believed by his own father to be dead and buried was produced before the court.

The man, identified as Moses Karema, appeared before Justice Diana Mochache. He is currently being held at Shimo la Tewa Prison. Karema is detained in connection with a terrorism case linked to the infamous Shakahola incident.

Unravelling the Mystery of the 'Deceased'

Moses Karema's appearance caused profound confusion because his father had testified that the man before the court was deceased. The father had allegedly found his son’s body in Shakahola. He claimed to have buried him.

The father stated:

“I buried my son Sharif.”

The identity crisis revolves around Moses Karema's name. The father identified his son by the name Sharif or Musa aka Sharif. However, the accused person’s official identification confirmed his name as Moses Karema.

Karema confirmed that he received the name Moses Karema in 2005 while living with his father. He also denied being re-baptised.

Context: The Shakahola Tragedy

This court drama is tied to the wider Shakahola deaths case. The investigation concerns controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie. The Shakahola incident involves numerous deaths and survivors linked to a religious cult.

The possibility was raised that the name given to the gentleman might not be the name known to his father. The court also noted that identification processes might have been flawed.

READ MORE: Pastor Mackenzie Caught Secretly Eating in Custody While Urging Followers to Starve

The court believes that there may have been someone else who was mistakenly thought to be him who died.

Family Confusion Deepens

The confusion extended to the rest of the family. Moses Karema revealed details about his siblings. His father claimed there were 10 children in the family.

Moses Karema, however, listed seven siblings who are currently alive. These include Neema, Paulin, Winnie, Max, and Emmanuel.

Karema confirmed that three siblings had passed away. They were named as Sid Kadowe and Morris Moi. Crucially, Karema told the court that these three had died before they went to Shakahola.

His mother is currently in prison. The court issued an order for his mother to appear in court to clarify the situation.

“There may be very many possibilities in the circumstances... there could also be a possibility that somebody else who was taught to be him was dead.”

The Road Ahead

To resolve the contradictory evidence, the court announced an inquiry. The Investigating Officer (IO) must now determine precisely who is Sharif and who is Moses Karema.

The IO will also ascertain who was actually buried. This inquiry must include checking records concerning any DNA conducted during investigations.

The inquiry aims to definitively settle the true identity of the man who appeared in court. It will also confirm the identity of the person buried, whom the father believed was his son.

Watch the baffling drama here;