Four Kiambu County officials to be charged with murder today after collapse of Ruaka 5-storey building

Jennifer Kamau, the owner of the six-story building that collapsed in Ruaka, Kiambu County, last week was arrested at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport fleeing to Texas, United States.

The 59-year-old woman who was sick at the time of the arrest was interdicted by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives at 2 am on Monday, November 21 just when she was about to board the flight.

She was then rushed to a city hospital where she is receiving medical attention before being arraigned in court.

Murder charges

The DCI says that its detectives have finalised the probing of the collapse of two houses in the county in a span of just a week, and "shall be arraigning a total of six suspects in court."

"In the Ruaka case where 2 people lost their lives, the owner of the building Jenniffer Kamau, who was arrested as she fled the country will answer to the offences of Criminal Negligence and Murder, contrary section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code," says the DCI.

Consequently, four Kiambu County government officials from the planning department will be arraigned before the Kiambu Law Courts today to face similar charges of murder and criminal negligence.

Meanwhile, Stephen Ngaruiya, the owner of the building that collapsed in Ruiru on Monday, November 21 morning will be arraigned at the Ruiru Law courts for the offence of constructing a building without requisite approvals.