- Title: Fans mourning popular Kenyan musician take his coffin to prevent burial
- Date: 12th June 2020
- Summary: KISUMU, KENYA (JUNE 12, 2020) (REUTERS) POLICE VEHICLE CARRYING CASKET TO HOME OF LATE BENARD ONYANGO OGUTU AKA ABENY JACHIGA CROWD VIEWING CASKET IN AN OPEN FIELD IN CHIGA IN KISUMU COUNTY CROWD PREVENTING BURIAL FROM TAKING PLACE VARIOUS OF POLICE ATTEMPTING TO DISPERSE MOURNERS MOURNERS WITH COFFIN POLICE FIRING TEAR GAS INTO THE AIR TEAR GAS CANISTER EXPLODING AND SPRE
- Embargoed: 26th June 2020 18:51
- Keywords: Benard Onyango Ogutu Kenya Kisumu funeral musician prevent burial take coffin
- Location: KISUMU, KENYA
- City: KISUMU, KENYA
- Country: Kenya
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001CI2FCQV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Mourners and fans of popular musician Bernard Obonyo - also known as "Abenny Jachiga" - confronted police in the western Kenyan city of Kisumu on Friday (June 12), preventing his funeral from taking place.
Mourners took his casket and Kenyan police, who used tear gas to try to disperse the crowd, were unable to stop them.
Kisumu county has tough guidelines for burials of suspected COVID-19 cases. Bodies are supposed to be buried within six hours and only five relatives can attend the funeral.
Mourners said burying Obonyo so quickly is disrespectful and demanded a large funeral take place to allow people to pay their respects.
Obonyo died on Thursday (June 11) after complaining of chest pains.
It is unclear whether he had been tested for the new coronavirus.
His family are now asking for a week to organise a proper funeral for the star, who was adored by many.
(Production: Fred Ooko and Nazanine Moshiri) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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