Byron McDaniel/Dwayne Mcleod, STAR Writers

Curious onlookers view the open grave of Irvin Sinclair. Sinclair's body was dug up from his final resting spot at the St Judes Anglican Church cemetery in Pratville, Manchester on Saturday. - Byron McDaniel

The body of a man who was dug up hours after being buried Friday was to be used as part of a scam to trick an insurance company, police investigations have discovered.

The body was to be burnt and passed off as that of a policyholder so insurance money could be collected, the police said.

Up to late last night, police had not charged any of the five men taken into custody for the exhuming of the body, identified as that of 70-year-old retiree, Irvin Sinclair, which was found in the back of the vehicle the five men were in.

Sinclair who resided in Portmore, St Catherine, died in the University Hospital on Sunday June 8, and was buried in a cemetery at the St Jude's Anglican Church in Pratville, Manchester.

However, hours after his burial, men with shovels and prepared concrete, allegedly dug up the body, removed it from the coffin and resealed the grave.

Police conducting an operation about 3:45 a.m. Saturday morning on the Greenvale Road in Mandeville, signalled a convoy of three vehicles to stop. Two of the cars reportedly sped off leaving the other vehicle, a white Toyota Corolla which had stopped.

During a subsequent search of the car, the body was reportedly found in the trunk. It was reportedly taken to the Lyn's funeral home for storage.

Subsequent investigations by detectives led them to the spot where Sinclair was buried. It was then discovered that the vault was sealed but there were signs that it had been tampered with. When the grave was opened the casket was empty.

The body has since been re-interred in the same grave.

"The family is traumatised, some of us live abroad and came specifically to bury Uncle Irvin. He was buried about 4 p.m. on Friday at the Church and we thought that was final," said relative of the deceased, Barry Smallhorn who lives in Miami.

"We learnt the Saturday morning, that men had dug up his body and resealed the grave.When we visited the Lyn's funeral home the body had a rope around the neck and the clothes was very dirty. We had to clean him up and re-inter him that same afternoon."

Investigators had initially theorised that the body was to be used in a demonic ritual or had drugs hidden inside, however, based on investigations, it was discovered that the men intended to burn the body and misrepresent an insurance policyholder.