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Kenyan gospel singer Ruth Matete has filed an application in court seeking to have the Nigerian High Commission in Nairobi compelled to foot her deceased husband’s mortuary bill.
The body of Ruth’s husband, John Apewajoye has been lying at Kenyatta National Hospital mortuary for over a month after the Nigerian High Commission blocked its release.
Ruth, through her lawyer Robert Odanga, accuses the mission of frustrating her efforts to bury her husband despite receiving consent from his family in Nigeria.
“It is common knowledge that the body cannot be subjected to a second postmortem because the initial exercise has already compromised the body. The toxicological test results are also out, so holding the body does not make sense, it only adds to her frustrations as a widow who is still mourning,” said Odanga.
Odanga said his client can no longer afford to pay for the mortuary bill, which continues to accumulate daily, and has resorted to raising funds from well-wishers, family, and friends. Ruth has so far raised Sh245,000 through an M-Changa account.
“This is an appeal for funds to help Ruth Matete pay her late husband medical bill, funeral expenses, and for her new life with her unborn child,” a message on the account reads.
Speaking during an interview with Spice FM a few weeks ago, lawyer Odanga noted: “Even after conducting the autopsy with four independent pathologists present, the embassy has curtailed our effort to remove John’s body for burial.”
Following an autopsy, the Nigerian High Commission asked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) not to release Apewajoye’s body for burial.
“The High Commission wishes to state that, after the postmortem, the burial should be put on hold until it is in receipt of such directive from the Nigerian government while the mission awaits the conclusion of the investigations,” read the request by the head of Chancery Mahmoud Lawal.
An autopsy showed Apewajoye succumbed to multiple organ failure occasioned by the burn injuries he sustained in a fire incident.
The postmortem conducted by Chief Government Pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor indicated the deceased suffered 60 percent burns.
Apewajoye, 42, died on April 11th at KNH, where he was receiving medication for burns he suffered while allegedly trying to fix a gas cylinder at their home in Great Wall estate in Athi River on March 30th.
34-year-old Ruth, who is three months pregnant, has been questioned by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), who are probing Apewajoye’s death.
Last month, Apewajowe’s manager and friend, Jessy Mcjessiey, a Nigerian, released a video claiming foul play into his sudden death. In the video, Jessy claimed that Matete had previously stabbed her husband on different occasions and had threatened to kill him.
“Ruth was very violent to John. And Ruth, you can look me into the eyes and say if I am telling a lie. You have stubbed John not ones, not twice. The first time I came to know about the stubbing issue was during my visit to their Greatwall estate in Athi River. Ruth, you stabbed him. You almost killed him. I was there recording everything,” said Jessy.