Residents of Eshisari Village in Kakamega County were left in disbelief after 88-year-old Boniface Muhandia returned home alive—two years after his family had buried a man they believed was him.
According to the family, Muhandia had left the village in search of work in another town. While away, he was allegedly robbed of all his belongings, including his identification documents and mobile phone, leaving him stranded and unable to contact his relatives.
As months passed without any communication, the family feared the worst.
Their fears appeared to be confirmed when police reportedly informed them that a man matching Muhandia’s description had died in a road accident. Because the body was badly disfigured, relatives believed it belonged to Boniface and proceeded with funeral arrangements before burying him in the family cemetery.
For the next two years, the family mourned the man they believed had died.
The story took an extraordinary turn when Muhandia unexpectedly returned to Eshisari Village carrying a small travel bag and a walking stick.
His sudden appearance reportedly sent villagers fleeing in fear, with some believing they had seen a ghost.
“I didn’t understand why everyone was running away from me,” Muhandia recalled. “When my younger brother finally recognized me, he hugged me tightly and told me, ‘Boniface, we buried you two years ago.’ I was completely shocked.”
Following his return, the family reported the matter to local authorities. After obtaining the necessary legal approvals, the grave believed to contain Muhandia’s remains was exhumed.
According to the account, forensic examinations later established that the person buried under Muhandia’s name was, in fact, an unidentified road accident victim whose identity had never been confirmed.
The revelation brought relief to Muhandia’s family but also raised fresh questions about the identity of the unknown victim and how the mistaken identification occurred.
Now reunited with his family, the 88-year-old says the most unbelievable part of his journey was discovering that he had been officially presumed dead and buried while he was still alive.
