AI Summary
5 min readIn 2004, on Boxing Day, John Kibera was hiding inside a golden coffin in the back of a stolen van as bullets punched through the walls. He had been a grave robber for years, digging up the wealthy dead in Nairobi’s Langata Cemetery and selling their coffins, suits, and jewelry. But now his luck had run out. The van screeched to a halt. Police surrounded it. When an officer opened the coffin lid, John stared up with fixed, dead eyes, a piece of cotton wool stuffed in his mouth to look truly lifeless. The officer slammed the lid shut and told his colleagues there was a corpse inside. They decided to take the coffin to the city morgue. As six officers carried it toward a police Land Rover, John’s heart told him not to be slow. He slammed the coffin lid from inside, jumped out, and ran through a screaming crowd—a man they took for a risen spirit.
The Superstition That Started It
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What you'll learn
- 1 (03:12) **Lupita Introduces the Shadow Side** - Lupita Niongo frames the episode around the hidden belief in witchcraft (juju, rogi) that coexists with Christianity in Kenyan culture.
- 2 (04:23) **Lupita's Childhood Revenge Story** - Lupita recounts a schoolyard incident where a boy repeatedly jumps over her legs, a superstitious act believed to stunt growth and cause barrenness.
- 3 (09:39) **The Guilt of Getting Away with It** - Lupita chooses not to confess that she tripped the boy intentionally, and he never accuses her.
- 4 (15:49) **Introducing John Kibera, the Man Who Disturbed the Dead** - The episode shifts to a new story: John Kibera, a Kenyan grave robber who stole from the wealthy dead.
- 5 (16:40) **John's Criminal Origins** - John describes his life of crime since age 11, including armed robbery and carjacking.
- 6 (18:04) **The Idea: Stealing Coffins** - At a friend's funeral, John notices the rich are buried in expensive coffins and decides to steal them.
- 7 (19:16) **The First Heist at Langata Cemetery** - John and his team dig up a grave in the wealthy section of a Nairobi cemetery.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Show Notes
The dead man does not know the value of his coffin.
This episode comes to us from Mind Your Own! Mind Your Own is a storytelling podcast navigating what it means to belong, all from the African perspective. Join Lupita Nyong’o as she shares tales of her own and dives into the lives of real people finding their way in new worlds of every kind. Listen to and enjoy Mind Your Own on any podcast platform!
This episode contains strong language and graphic imagery. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.
“Comeuppance”
12-year-old Lupita’s split-second playground decision haunts her for years.
Produced by Regina Bediako & Marisa Dodge. Original score by Clay Xavier.
“Graveyard Shift”
John Kibera has found the hustle to end all hustles in Nairobi. The shillings pour in. But one day, a job goes very, very wrong.
Thank you, John, for sharing your story with us.
Produced by David Exumé. Original score by Lalin St. Juste and Sam Law. Translation by Salome Nduku. Voiceover by Ndungi Githuku. Special thanks to our fixer Michael Kaloki.
Original Mind Your Own theme song by Sandra Lawson-Ndu AKA Sandu Ndu x Peachcurls ft. Ehiorobo. This episode also featured the song O.T.T by Rouge.
Executive Producers: Glynn Washington and Mark Ristich
Managing Editor: Regina Bediako
Director of Production: Marisa Dodge
Series Producers: David Exumé and Priscilla Alabi
Music Supervisor: Sandra Lawson-Ndu
Story Scouts: Ashley Okwuosa, Fiona Nyong’o, Jessica Kariisa, Lesedi Oluko Moche
Editors: Nancy López and Anna Sussman
Engineering: Miles Lassi
Operations Manager: Florene Wiley
Story Consultant: John Fecile
Graphic Design: Jemimah Ekeh
Original Artwork: Mateus Sithole
Special Thanks: Allan Coye, Jake Kleinberg, Samara Still, Sarah Yoo, Warner Music Group, and Afripods
Mind Your Own is a production of KQED’s Snap Studios, with sales and distribution by Lemonada Media. Hosted and produced by Lupita Nyong’o.
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