Owners of collapsed Huruma building and county officials remanded

Kenyan entrepreneurs Karanja and his brother Muiruri suspected owners of a six-storey building that collapsed in Huruma neighbourhood stand handcuffed in the dock at the Chief Magistrates Court in Nairobi Kenya

The owners of the building that collapsed in Huruma and three government officials were Tuesday arraigned in a Nairobi court to face charges over the death of more than 20 people.

However, the two brothers Samuel Karanja, Henry Karanja and National Construction Authority Director Chrispas Ndinyo, Director of Planning and Compliance at Nairobi County government Justus Kathenge and Mathare sub-county administrator Seline Ogallo did not plead to the charges.

They were remanded at Pangani until tomorrow (Wednesday) when the court is expected to rule if to admit the five to bail.

Their arrest and appearance in court comes two days after President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Cabinet Secretary for Internal Security Joseph Nkaissery ordered for the owners’ arrest.

The collapsed building, in Huruma's Ngei II flats, and which housed an unknown number of people had been earmarked for demolition by the county council. At least over 20 people were killed, 65 unaccounted for and 135 were rescued from the wreckage of the six-storey residential building.

The five were brought to Milimani Law Courts shortly after 9am, after spending two nights at Pangani police station. City residents jammed the court room as a team comprising over 10 lawyers made a spirited fight for almost five hours to have the suspects admitted to bail.

21 days in custody

Prosecutor Dancun Ondimu had asked the court to grant the prosecution 21 days to allow police complete investigations on how the building was housing area residents despite having been condemned as unsuitable for human habitation.

Ondimu told Milimani Principal Magistrate Beatrice Mosiara that the nature of the offences that Samuel, Henry, Ndinyo,Kathenge and Ogallo are likely face are serious and they were likely to abscond court if released on bail.

"The suspects are facing likelihood of being charged with either the offence of murder or manslaughter once investigations are complete and hence they are likely to abscond if released on bail and if they are released they were likely to jeopardize the ongoing investigations," he said.

He said the five were arrested on Sunday and Monday and the time within which to conduct investigations was adequate. Ondimu added that due to public outcry over the incident, two of the suspects’ safety is not guaranteed and they should remain in custody until they plead to charges that will be preferred against them.