Derrick Kimathi, the owner oft he Embakasi gas plan that exploded and left scores of residents injured others dead has been granted KES 500,000 in cash bail and an alternative bond of KES 2 million.
He was released by Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego after the prosecution’s request for extension of time complete its investigations into the matter was declined. Additionally, 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 owner of Maxxis Energy Nairobi Limited, has also been ordered to surrender his travel documents including his passport.”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 ruling read in part.
The court heard that the investigative team had taken statements from 363 witnesses, mostly comprising victims. Additionally, they had received 265 fully completed P3 forms from the victims, while 30 more victims were yet to provide their statements.
“The investigations are complex considering the seriousness of the offences, the expansive of the investigations including the high number of victims’ and witnesses, and amount of time required to access all the witnesses and documents,” Kariuki stated in his affidavit filed in the court.
