“Owners of collapsed Huruma building and county officials remanded”

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…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…

Prosecutor Dancun 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