NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 6 — A Magistrate Court at Nairobi’s Milimani Law Courts has adjourned pre-trial hearing on the detention of a businessman linked to illegal gas refilling operations in Nairobi’s Embakasi promising a verdict on Wednesday.
Trial Magistrate Dolphina Alego gave the directions Tuesday evening after hearing an application by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) which sought twenty-one days to hold Derrick Kimathi to facilitate an ongoing probe.
DCI indicated that it was investigating crimes of murder after an explosion at a gas refiling plant declared illegal by the energy regulator, EPRA, led to six deaths.
The agency told the court the tragic incident left over 300 residents injured after a fireball blasted off the illegal plant sending shockwaves to nearby residential areas.
DCI cited the need to undertake DNA analysis to identify victims who perished following the incident noting some remains were unrecongnisable.
The State presented Kimathi in court alongside three officials of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
DCI identified arrested NEMA officials as David Ongare (Director Environment Compliance), Joseph Makau (Head Environmental Impact Assessment) and Mirrian Kioko.
Kimathi’s lawyer Sunday claimed that the LPG truck that exploded at his garage had trespassed without his knowledge.
The agency said it had established that Kimathi owned the illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) refiling plant which operated without approval from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
DCI indicated that Kimathi had retained a manager identified as Stephen Kilonzo oversee operations at the site.
DCI said five suspects remained at large.
“These include Stephen Kilonzo (the site manager), Ann Kabiri Mirungi of NEMA, Lynette Cheruyoit (NEMA’s Senior Environmental Officer), truck driver Robert Gitau and Abraham Mwangi (driver).”
