This archive report was first published on 25 September 2019.
Owner of School Still Walks Free Despite Death of Eight and Injury of 60 Learners ¶
At least eight pupils died and over 60 were injured when a classroom structure at Precious Talents Top School in Nairobi collapsed on Monday morning.
The school's owner, Moses Wainaina, and his wife, Freshia Wainaina, who serves as the school administrator, have not been arrested, despite the tragedy.
According to Nairobi regional police commander Philip Ndolo, action will be taken based on the recommendations of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
"Let's wait until the investigations are concluded," Mr Ndolo said in a text message in response to our inquiries.
Experts have pointed out that the building was a structural failure with a two-inch foundation that could barely support its weight.
Lawyer Evans Mirieri stated that the owner of the collapsed building can be charged with murder or manslaughter, and further charged with section 30 or 31 of the Physical Planning Act if he failed to comply with guidelines governing buildings meant for commercial use.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha vowed that a thorough probe would be conducted on the possible causes of the disaster, and action taken.
"I wish to state categorically that children of Kenyans are safe in schools... This single tragic incident must not be used by anyone to instil fear in learners in both public and private schools," Prof Magoha said.
Prof Magoha also faulted the weak storey structure the pupils had been crammed in, which he insinuated should not have been erected in the first place.
"If no storey had been built on top of that structure, no children would have died," he said.
Parents of those who perished in the tragedy recorded statements with the DCI at Kabete. Postmortem examination of the bodies is expected to take place tomorrow.
