Building collapse: Palm Developers director surrenders to police

One of the directors of Palm Developers Limited, which is behind the building that collapsed in Malindi, Kilifi County, has surrendered to police.

An eight-floor building collapsed last Friday, leaving one person dead and about 26 injured.

PROBE

Mr Shabir Ali presented himself at the office of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Monday for questioning. Mr Shabir Kasamale, who died in the tragedy, was his father.

Malindi DCI boss Anthony Sunguti said police are pursuing the contractors and directors of Palm Developers, the company that owned the incomplete building known as Palm Heights.

The Nation has established that the building was to have two and three-bedroom apartments, which had been advertised for sale in 2017 at a cost of Sh60 million.

“Luxury apartments in the heart of Malindi town. Invest today in the tallest building in Malindi with Palm Developers Limited, [with prices] ranging from Sh6 million,” stated a post on the company’s social media page.

The account also identified Mr Huzeifa Suleimanji as one of the directors.

NIGHT WORK

Kilifi National Environment Management Authority (Nema) Director, Samuel Lopokoiyot, said they condemned the building in August last year but that the developers carried on with construction at night.

Mr Lopokoiyot added that the developer applied for an Environmental Impact Assessment report on March 22, 2013 but that the application was rejected.

He also said the National Construction Authority stopped the construction citing fake value of the property, which he said was to be Sh30 million.

The county Ndirector also said that at the time, the developer paid Sh15,000 for approval of the construction of a building with 12 floors..

“We rejected his proposal because his plans were not clear and he had photocopied documents," he said.

Mr Lopokoiyot further said the developer resorted to night operations to avoid getting caught and that by November last year, eight floors had been constructed.

DEBRIS

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers are still combing through the debris so the death toll could rise.

Police believe seven people, who had been employed as construction workers, were present at the time of the collapse.

The building is located at Barani near Gapco Petrol Station. Houses next to the location, which were destroyed by debris from the collapse, was demolished. The demolitions will allow proper excavation as hand tools could not do the job.

The tragedy occurred a day after a heavy downpour that lasted three days.

A resident termed the incident the worst to hit Malindi.

“It is sad that  tallest building in the resort has caused death,” he said.