City Affairs

Embakasi gas plant owner, Nema officials detained at Capitol Hill station

Embakasi killer gas plant owner Derrick Kimathi and NEMA officials have been detained.

By Mary Wambui | Tuesday, February 6, 2024

On Wednesday, the court will rule whether they will be detained for 21 days pending the conclusion of the probe into the matter.

Owner of Embakasi killer gas plant Derrick Kimathi and three NEMA officials have been detained at Capitol Hill Police Station pending a court ruling on Wednesday.

The four, including Joseph Makau (Head of Environmental Impact Assessment), David Ongare (Director of Environment Compliance) and Marrian Kioko, were arraigned on Tuesday before Chief Magistrate Dolphina Alego.

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On Wednesday, the court will rule whether they will be detained for 21 days pending the conclusion of the probe into the matter.

The state is seeking to detain them pending the completion of investigations.

It expressed fears that the respondents would interfere with witnesses and are a flight risk.

The prosecution further argued that the lives of the four might be in danger considering the loss of lives, properties and injured victims from the Embakasi fire.

On their part, the defendants through their lawyer opposed their detention on the grounds that they are innocent until proven guilty, adding that the four may end up not being charged after the investigations are completed.

The 21 days sought is set to allow the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to finish investigations on amongst others murder, conspiracy to commit a felony, negligent act causing harm and abuse of office.

Earlier, the National Police Service said they had arrested a director at NEMA and urged those involved in the blast to surrender.

"We are hunting for more suspects, and those who know they are supposed to help in this probe should surrender. We will charge those targeted with murder," Nairobi Police boss Adamson Bungei said at the time.

According to the police, five more suspects remain at large. They include; Stephen Kilonzo (site manager), Ann Kabiri Mirungi (NEMA), Lynette Cheruiyot (NEMA's environment officer), Robert Gitau (truck driver) and Abraham Mwangi (driver).

DCI urged the public to report or share any information on the whereabouts of the suspects via the toll-free line 0800722203 or report at any police station.

On Saturday, President William Ruto called for the dismissal, arrest and prosecution of government officials involved in the issuance of licenses to the gas plant in Miradi Area, Embakasi East.

This was after the Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) confirmed that the gas plant was operating illegally.