Fresh details have revealed that the owner of a five-storey building that collapsed when still under construction in Juja on Wednesday, was to be arraigned in court over manslaughter charges.
The county officer for Lands, Housing, planning and urban development, James Ndung’u said that the owner of the building was also to be charged with flaunting orders to stop construction of the building.
Ndung’u said that last year in November, two foremen are reported to have died after a crane used to ferry stones up stairs fell on them from the top floor.
According to Ndung’u the owner of the building who is still at large continued with construction of the building at night even after the department issued him with a notice to stop construction.
“A manhunt for the owner who is still at large has been launched. He will face additional charges of carrying out construction without proper approvals.”
“The department had stopped him twice from building at night and for lack of proper approvals,” said the officer as quoted by Citizen.
Kiambu Regional Coordinator for National Construction Authority Eric Miseda said that the building collapsed because materials that were used in the construction were of sub-standard quality.
Speaking to journalists when he toured the scene, Miseda said that the building was constructed with speed and that safety measures were not followed.
“Safety measures and precautions were not followed during construction of the building. Construction was also done fast as the building was not given ample time to dry,” said Miseda.
The building, which was under construction collapsed at around 11PM Wednesday night after allegedly showing cracks during the day.