NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 7 — Police have arrested another official of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) bringing the number of officials arrested in connection to the illegal Embakasi gas plant to four.
Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura confirmed the arrest of Linet Cheruiyot, Senior Environmental Officer at NEMA, on Wednesday saying the State will seek custodial orders.
Mwaura confirmed the arrest even as he announced the death toll from Thursday night’s Embakasi gas blast had risen to seven after another victim succumbed to burn injuries Tuesday night.
Cheruiyot was set to appear at a court in Nairobi’s Makadara on Wednesday where the State was expected to apply for custodial orders.
Other NEMA officials arrested in an ongoing probe are David Ongare (Director Environment Compliance), Joseph Makau (Head Environmental Impact Assessment), and Mirrian Kioko.
The three were arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on Tuesday along businessman Derrick Kimathi.
The State sought custodial orders for twenty-one days to conclude investigations.
Trial Magistrate Dolphina Alego adjourned the pre-trial hearing on the detention of the four suspects promising a verdict on Wednesday.
Custodial orders
Two senior public prosecutors Dorcas Rugut and James Gachoka, and Chief Inspector Tenai, who is the leading investigation, told the court the State needed time to investigate crimes of murder as a result of the explosion at the plant declared illegal by the energy regulator, EPRA.
Tenai 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 unrecognizable.
“Police need time to record statements from relatives of the six deceased persons and the injured persons who are traumatized and undergoing treatment in various city health facilities,” Tenai told the court.
He told the court a search was ongoing to arrest Stephen Kilonzo (the site manager), Ann Kabiri Mirungi (NEMA), and truck drivers Robert Gitau and Abraham Mwangi.
