Officials freed as man jailed for 52 deaths in collapsed building

Rescue teams had to demolish adjacent structures to access the collapsed 5-storey building.[Courtesy]

A Nairobi court has freed four government officials accused of the 2016 Huruma building collapse, in a controversial judgment that instead saw the property owner jailed over a tragedy that claimed 52 lives.

In a detailed judgment by Milimani Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe, officials from the National Construction Authority (NCA) and Nairobi County Government, including Director of Planning and Compliance Justus Kathenge and Mathare Sub-county Administrator Seline Ogallo, were acquitted, while building owner Samuel Kamau Karanja was sentenced to seven years in prison.