Owner Of Gas Plant In Embakasi Explosion Set Free

Derrick Kimathi, the owner of the property at Mradi village in Embakasi where a huge gas explosion occurred on Thursday night, February 1, has been released.

Milimani Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego on Wednesday, February 28 released Kimathi on a Ksh500,000 cash bail with an alternative of Ksh2 million bond following the explosion which killed more than 10 people and injured over 300 others.

However, Alego ordered Kimathi to surrender his travel documents including passports, seemingly to prevent a case of him leaving the country.

The aftermath of the Embakasi explosion that occurred on February 2, 2024. /PHOTO

"These are the orders of this court, the suspect to deposit his passport in this court and the remaining investigations to continue when the respondent deposits the cash bail,' the Magistrate ruled.

His lawyer noted that it was unnecessary to hold his client further, adding that the suspect was having health issues and needed medical attention.

The businessman has been freed despite an application from the prosecution who sought to extend the man's detention period to 14 days.

Additionally, the investigation officer had opposed the release of the suspect adding that he may interfere with the investigations.

The officer told the court that more time was needed to conduct investigations including going through reports from relevant bodies such as the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).

Kimathi surrendered himself to Embakasi police station on February 5 where he was grilled. He was accompanied by his lawyer, Wandugi Kirathe.

Police had been pursuing seven suspects in connection with the explosion, including Kimathi, the proprietor of the illegal gas filling plant and Steve Kioko, Kimathi’s partner.

Other than Kimathi, officials from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) were suspended and some arrested.

Kimathi's lawyer had previously dismissed reports that his client was running the premises against the law, indicating that it was operating as a garage and not a gas-filling station.

“Our client had not been operating a gas filling operation on that premises. The premises, for the last few years, has been operating as a garage and until Thursday, it was still operating as a garage.

"The motor vehicle that caused this incident was trespassing into this property without his knowledge and consent,” Karathe claimed to the media.

It was further revealed that the driver of the truck that had caused the explosion was revealed to have left Tanzania using the Loitoktok border on January 26, 2024, but arrived in Nairobi five days later on February 1, 2024.

However, it remains to be established with regards to the actual origin of the tanker in the neighbouring East African country, or whether it was in transit across borders.