Contractor of collapsed Huruma building charged

A contractor of the collapsed building in Huruma estate that killed five people was Monday arraigned in court.

Francis Gikonyo Kamau appeared before Makadara Resident Magistrate William Oketch charged with murder. Police requested the court to remand the suspect for 14 days to complete investigations.

The investigating officer told the court he needed more time to make inquiries to establish the charges, as the suspect is said to have approved the construction of the building.

Mr Kamau, also acting as the caretaker of the building, was arrested on Friday last week. Police are still hunting for other suspects including the owner of the plot where the building stood.

His plea to be released on cash bail pending the investigations was rejected by the magistrate. His arrest came barely two days after that of Jane Wanjiru Ndonga, the director of Housing and Development in Dandora who was alleged to have approved the construction of the building.

She was last week also remanded for 14 days as police continue with their investigations including the search for the building's owner who is at large.

Several top officials in the Nairobi County Government have been suspended following the recent collapse of buildings in Nairobi.

Governor Evans Kidero has so far suspended four top officials following the collapse of the Huruma building.