- The landlord responsible for the collapse of the Ngei II Estate building in 2013 in Huruma has been sentenced to seven years in prison
- The collapse of the building killed 52 tenants, and the landlord was convicted of illegal construction on riverside land
- Witnesses testified that he ignored repeated warnings about structural cracks, threatened officers who tried to intervene, and illegally obtained electrical connections.
Nairobi: A landlord whose building collapsed ten years ago in Ngei II Estate, Huruma, killing 52 tenants, has been sentenced to seven years in prison without the option of a fine.
Source: UGC
Samuel Kamau Karanja, aged 60, was found guilty of manslaughter, constructing the building on riverside land, building without permission, occupying public land illegally, and disregarding structural safety standards.
Giving the decision, the judge noted that Karanja acted negligently and ignored clear warnings in 2016 when the building was cracked.
“The accused did nothing to protect the lives of the tenants despite being given information,” the court said.
Why was the Nairobi landlord sentenced to 7 years in prison?
The residential structure, built in 2013, violated bylaws and lacked proper supervision from city and county authorities.
The judge emphasized that the prosecution proved Karanja’s guilt beyond any doubt.
“The defense only denied it, but the evidence proved that he owned the building where 52 innocent people lost their lives,” the court said.
His age and health were considered to reduce the sentence slightly.
Karanja was convicted of 31 counts of manslaughter, each carrying seven years in prison. He was also sentenced to five years for building without permission under the Physical Planning Act and three years for illegal possession of public land under the Land Act. All sentences will run concurrently.
Despite Karanja’s claim that he was not the owner of the collapsed building, witness testimony confirmed his ownership.
The judge noted that the building was built on a river reserve, just a few meters from the river bank instead of the required six meters, and he did not get permission from NEMA and WARMA.
“Karanja was negligent. When big cracks appeared in 2016, the caretaker informed him, but he just painted cement, ignoring the impending disaster,” the judge added.
The deaths were attributed to “illegality, lawlessness, negligence, and carelessness” on the part of the homeowner.
What did the landlord say about the charges?
In his defence, Karanja denied all charges, claiming that he had other properties in the area but not the collapsed building.
The judge relied on evidence from six witnesses, including investigator Bibiana Rabuku, who confirmed that the building was located on the riverside. Deputy head Juma Ali Amir testified that Karanja threatened him when he tried to stop the construction.
The tenants also confirmed seeing Karanja interacting with the guardian, while Victor Abukar of Kenya Power confirming that he had authorized the electrical connections on behalf of Karanja.
Did the building collapse in Kibera?
In a related incident, at least three people died after a building collapsed in Kibera Highrise, Nairobi on Wednesday, April 8.
Several others were injured, and an unknown number are still stranded. Emergency teams rushed to the scene to carry out rescue operations.
Six people were rescued alive, while the other four were taken to Mbagathi Hospital in serious condition. Earlier, the Red Cross had rescued four people from the building, which is reportedly under construction.
Read ENGLISH VERSION
Do you have an exciting story that you would like us to publish? Please contact us via news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
