A court in Daadab has ordered the exhumation of the body of the late Safiya Hussein Bilal to pave the way for a fresh autopsy, marking a significant turn in the probe into the brutal death of a young girl.
Senior Principal Magistrate Evans Muleka on Monday, December 8 ordered that a second post-mortem be performed on grounds that the same was needed to obtain “crucial forensic clarity” to help investigators piece together what really happened to Safiya.
During the brief but emotionally charged session, Magistrate Muleka ordered Safiya’s relative Hussein Bilal to point out the exact burial site to facilitate a closely supervised exhumation process.
The entire process was left to the Chief Government Pathologist, who would also carry out the fresh autopsy, while the collection of samples for advanced laboratory tests was left to experts from the Government Chemist.
The court further ordered the DCI to document every step of the operation and assigned a Fafi Subcounty Public Health Officer to ensure that health and safety protocols are fully observed during this sensitive exercise.
The magistrate further ordered that Dr. Chweya Arthur, the pathologist who undertook the first post-mortem examination, also attends the repeat examination. It was left to Hussein Bilal either to attend in person or appoint a pathologist to represent him.
The latest development follows weeks after the court gave investigators more time to deepen the probe and extended the detention of four suspects by an extra 20 days as detectives constructed a watertight case file.
Court documents paint a grim picture: Safiya, who had been placed under the care of her uncle on losing her parent, was allegedly defiled and murdered by that very guardian entrusted with her safety.
The damning allegations have caused outrage from the public, with increasing pressure mounting for justice to be served.
ODPP has maintained that the exhumation will play a critical role in securing watertight forensic evidence needed to support any eventual charges. The DPP is expected to make the final decision once the investigators submit the complete forensic report following the new autopsy.
The matter is set for mention on December 10, 2025, when the court will again take up progress on the exhumation and updates in an ongoing murder investigation.
