Landlord 'burnt houses to evict tenants'

KENYA: A landlord set ablaze business premises in a bid to evict his tenants, a Kakamega court was told Wednesday.

A watchman who was guarding the buildings told the court that he actually saw Samuel Jamuhuri Keya, the landlord, and his co-accused Vincent Odingo, carrying gallons of petrol towards the premises.

Soon after, a huge fire engulfed the buildings.

“I saw my boss Keya with Odingo carrying gallons of petrol at about 9.20pm in the night.

Mr Odingo carried a 20-litre gallon while Mr Keya carried a 10-litre one. I saw them purchase the petrol from Julika petrol station within Kakamega township.

“Later a fire broke out and razed the property. I tried to rescue the property but the inferno was too big,” the watchman, Fredrick Okanga, told Kakamega Resident Magistrate Benson Khapoya.

Mr Okanga also described how the two accused were dressed on the material night.

Keya and Odingo, through their lawyer, wondered how the watchman managed to witness so much, including how the accused were dressed, in the dark.

NIGHT VISION

“Do you have such powerful eyes to see people in the dark and from a great distance?” the lawyer asked.

The watchman said that he was able to see well as there was moonlight and security lighting.

Gibson Makoma, another witness, testified that Keya had earlier taken some of his tenants before the Rent Tribunal with the intention of evicting them.

The landlord is accused of setting ablaze business premises belonging to Gibson Mukona, Joseph Mungala, Luke Omondi and John Marani all valued at Sh1,152,400 on September 30, 2015.

His co-accused  was charged with setting ablaze business premises belonging to Gibson Mukona and Joseph Mungala on the same night.

The prosecution has lined up five witnesses to prove their case against the two who are out on bond.

The accused first appeared in court on October 2, 2015 and pleaded not guilty to the arson charge.

The hearing will proceed on March 27, 2016.