DPP orders immediate arrest of Patel Dam owner that killed 47

juma chrispinus

July 4, 2018 3:05 PM

Water CS on Tuesday said that the dam was illegally put up.

The Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji has ordered immediate arrest of the owner of Solai Patel Dam in Nakuru which burst killing 47 people in May.

The DPP has said that Perry Mansukh should face charges of manslaughter. Others mapped for arresting are Mr Vinoj Kumar, the General Manager at Patel Coffee Estates Ltd in Nakuru.

The new order comes a day after Water CS Simon Chelugui told a parliamentary committee that the construction of the dam was not regularized, and that its stay was illegal

Water Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui on Tuesday told a Senate committee that the dam was not licensed.

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He told the committee chaired by Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr that records in the ministry show there is no dam on Mr Perry Mansukhlal’s farm in Solai.

ALSO READ: What you didn’t know about the man who owns Solai Dam which killed 47

The CS told the senators investigating the tragedy that the only document in their records was the permit allowing Salt Manufacturers to erect a weir to divert water to the dam.

Inadequate information on Dam

A weir is a low dam built across a river to raise the level of water upstream or regulate its flow. However, the CS could not explain when the weir was constructed — telling the committee that transfer of records from the ministry to the Water Resources Management Authority (Warma) had not been completed.

On Wednesday morning, however, details emerged that a section of senators had started receiving threats from unknown people over the probe on the dam.

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Others who will be arrested with the Patel Dam owner include officials from State owned Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) and National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA). Nakuru County officials would be arrested too.

Winnie Muthoni Mutisya, and Tomkins Odo Odhiambo from Warma and Willis Omondi Were, the regional coordinator for Nema would be held for neglecting their duties.

The DPP in a statement has said that he has instructed the office of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to “cause the arrest of the suspects.”

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