Twins’ remains found in latrine

• Parents accused of throwing the boys into pit while they were still alive

Villagers have retrieved the bodies of twin boys who were allegedly thrown into a pit latrine by their parents.

Emotions ran high as the villagers of Katome in Bungoma West District dug up the latrine on Sunday to recover the bodies.

The babies were allegedly dumped into the latrine while still alive eight days ago.

Neighbours said the twins were about two weeks old.

Angry villagers hurled insults at the boys’ parents and spat on them as the latrine was emptied amid heavy rains.

Earlier, the father led journalists to a homestead where he showed them two graves, claiming that the babies were buried there.

But villagers said he was lying and led the journalists to the latrine.

At one point, the man tried to flee but was caught by the villagers and frog-marched back to the scene.

After three hours of digging, the twins’ bodies were retrieved. Many villagers, unable to restrain themselves, wailed.

The parents sat pensively next to the bodies as villagers milled around, taunting them as they waited for police to arrive.

The officers arrested the parents and took away the bodies.

Villagers claimed that the police had been influenced not to exhume the bodies.

Raised the alarm

“They have been coming here for three days, but did not exhume the bodies or arrest the suspects,” said Maendeleo ya Wanawake district chairperson Mildred Barasa.

Efforts to get a comment from Bungoma police chief Amos Cheboi failed as his telephone went unanswered.

The grandfather of the twins’ who raised the alarm when the boys disappeared, said he believed that there was foul play.

“We were preparing a party to celebrate the birth of my daughter’s twins when they disappeared,” he said.