George Oduor was 27 when he left his home in Wambasa, in Siaya County in 2015. For a decade, his family knew nothing about his whereabouts until Tuesday April 1, 2025 when he showed up home aged 37.

For several hours, what started as an April 1 Fool’s Day prank turned out to be true, throwing the family and villagers into confusion after the man they had presumed dead and buried appeared.

The family of Oduor was forced to exhume the grave where they had buried the body of the person they had believed to be his.

According to the family, they received news that someone resembling Oduor had been involved in a road accident and was admitted at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital Kisumu on February 13 before he succumbed to the injuries a few hours later.

His sister, who visited the mortuary in the company of other family members, “identified” the body as Oduor’s, and they were allowed to pick it for burial. Some family members had, however, raised reservations about the identity of the body.

“I visited the morgue twice in the company of Oduor’s brother and sister, and they all confirmed the body was his. We then agreed to start burial plans,” said Jacinter Ochomo, his sister-in-law.

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Oduor’s shocking story dates back to February 10, when he reportedly left Kakamega, where he had been living with a friend.

According to the friend, Felix Tulo, Oduor left Kakamega, saying he was going to visit his family in Yimbo.

“We did not communicate again until February 17 when I called his number and a stranger picked it. He told me that the owner of the phone had been admitted to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital and switched off the phone before giving details,” narrated Tulo.

Even though he had known Oduor for some time, Tulo told The Nairobian that he had never seen any of his relatives. He went to a place where Oduor had previously worked and obtained his ID number before tracing his home.

Through the local administration, Oduor’s family was informed of his “death”. On March 4, members of his family travelled to Kisumu on a fact-finding mission.

According to his sister-in-law, the hospital management informed them that one George Odhiambo was admitted to the facility while unconscious.

“We were informed that he was brought to the hospital by a group of people who claimed to be his relatives, but they never left any details with the hospital. The patient died a few hours later,” she narrated.

In an attempt to trace Oduor’s last moments, Ochomo says they visited Kondele Police Station after it was alleged that he was involved in an accident around Kondele.

“Police told us that they had no information about the said person and that no accident was reported during that period,” she said, adding that they were also not able to trace the stranger who had Oduor’s phone.

But in a shocking turn of events, Oduor returned home three days after his ‘burial’ that was attended by villagers, friends, family and relatives.

Sylphanus Odipo, a neighbour who first met him on his return, said he was shocked.

“I didn’t believe what I saw. It was like a nightmare before I called his name and he responded. I informed his other family members who confirmed that it was him,” said Odipo.

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Speaking to The Nairobian on the phone, Oduor said he was not allowed to enter the homestead until he is cleansed.

“I am alive, and we can allow the matter to rest. Those who buried the wrong person know where and how they got him,” he said.