A magistrate Court sitting in Kerugoya has officially cleared the burial of Racheal Muthoni Wandeto, the Kirinyaga woman whose tragic death sparked national debate after she was fatally attacked for openly supporting President William Ruto.

In a ruling delivered on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Resident Magistrate Harrison Kariuki ordered that Wandeto’s body be released immediately to her mother, Sarah Njeri, for burial at her ancestral home in Kabumbu Village, Kirinyaga Central.

The ruling effectively brings to an end a bitter, high-profile standoff between the deceased’s family and her partner that had brought her funeral arrangements to a grinding halt.

No dowry

Wandeto’s burial plans were abruptly paralyzed on May 28, 2026, when her partner, Peter Njaramba, slapped the family with a last-minute court order.

Njaramba demanded that Wandeto be buried at their home in Murang’a County.

The sudden injunction caused massive confusion and heartbreak at the Kerugoya Stadium, where hundreds of mourners had already gathered, only to be told that the body could not be released from the Montezuma Monalisa Funeral Home in Kabati.

The magistrate dismissed Njaramba’s application, ruling that the couple was never legally or traditionally married.

Despite having two children together, the court noted that no dowry had ever been paid to Wandeto’s family.

“The law provides that burial follows customary practices. The court found that Peter Njaramba had not traditionally married Racheal Muthoni Wandeto and directed Montezuma Monalisa Funeral Home not to release the body to him,” the family’s lawyer, Gitau Kahiga, explained following the verdict.

Wandeto shot to national fame after getting a prominent tattoo of President William Ruto on her body as a bold expression of her political alignment.

Tragically, it was this very public display of political loyalty that made her a target, leading to the fatal assault that cut her life short.

Her plight caught the attention of State House, with President Ruto personally contributing Sh1.6 million to help the family offset the funeral expenses and hospital bills.

With the legal hurdle finally cleared, the family is expected to announce a new burial date in the coming days.