The much-awaited DNA test for Sharon Mathias and Melon Lutenyo — Kenyan twins who were reunited on Tuesday last week was finally conducted by pathologists at Lancet, Kenya on Friday, Kenyan Daily Nation reports.
The Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) which had initially promised to conduct the tests for free, withdrew at the last minute to “let the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) do its investigative work.”
Speaking after the process, Dr Elizabeth Wala, the founder and chair of Multiples to Multiples Society, an initiative that offers support and a platform of sharing with other families who have or are expecting multiples, said her organisation read about the families’ plight and sought to help them.
“We first tried to contact Kemri but it was complicated and so we approached Lancet,” said Dr Wala, adding that Lancet offered to do the tests at discounted rates. The results will be out in about one week.
Earlier, a Kemri official who sought anonymity said the girls were still undergoing therapy and counselling, adding that, since the matter was now in the hands of the DCI, Kemri would await further direction on the case.
The DCI had on Thursday asked the families involved in the case to file reports at its offices in Kakamega Town, to enable forensic investigations to establish if any criminal act was committed.
The two identical girls who suspect they were separated at birth in 1999 will soon find out if they are indeed related.
The matter caught the attention of the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri), which on Wednesday expressed willingness to fund the DNA testing process.
Both girls are KCSE candidates. Sharon studies at Shikoti Girls High School while Melon is at Kongoni Secondary School. Both schools are in Kakamega County.
Culled from Kenyan Daily Nation
