Mbagathi Hospital staff in court after demanding Ksh.30K bribe in body swap scandal

Three staff members from Mbagathi Hospital have been arraigned and charged in connection with the unauthorized release of a body from the facility’s mortuary.

Morgue attendants Elizabeth Aoga and Jackline Njagi, along with Jackline Owino from the Health Records Department, face charges of conspiracy to commit a felony, giving false information and demanding money with menaces.

The prosecution alleges that on December 5, the three demanded Ksh.30,000 from Ann Mbugua, the daughter of James Mbugua, in exchange for assisting in waiving an outstanding hospital bill of Ksh.61,000.

They then released the body without following proper procedures after obtaining a burial permit under false pretences.

However, during the investigation, another body labelled "James Mbugua" was discovered in the hospital’s mortuary, raising serious questions about the identity of the body that had been released earlier.

The three appeared before Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi on Friday and pleaded not guilty to all charges. They were released on a cash bail of Ksh.100,000 each.