Patel Dam owners to spend weekend in jail

Lawyer Evans Monari with his clients Perry Kansagara (right) and Vinoj Kumar in a Naivasha court Friday. PHOTO | MACHARIA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Patel Coffee Estates Managing Director Perry Mansukh Kansagara and the general manager Vinoj Jaya Kumar and four other co-accused will now spend the weekend at the Naivasha Remand Prison awaiting a court decision on their bail application.

Presiding over the case in which the accused face 48 counts of manslaughter, Principal Magistrate, Joseph Karanja said the bail application will be determined on Monday afternoon.

POLICE CUSTODY

Mr Karanja said his earlier decision to have Mr Kansagara, Mr Kumar and the Nakuru County Director of Water, Johnson Kamau Njuguna be held in police custody was influenced by the lengthy plea taking session that went beyond 5pm.

All the accused had entered a plea of not guilty when the charges were read out to them.

In the dock Friday was the Water Rights Officer (WRA), Winnie Muthoni Mutisya, sub regional manager (WRA), Tomkin Odo Odhiambo and Assistant Technical Coordinator Manager (WRA), Jacinta Were with each of the accused denying all the 48 counts of manslaughter and additional count of neglect.

The prosecution maintained the same stance to have all the accused persons denied bail until the matter was heard and determined, citing among other things, the possibility of them interfering with the potential witnesses.

Appearing for Ms Mutisya and Mr Odhiambo, lawyer Francis Irungu Mburu said his clients were not a threat to any of the witnesses and asked the court to grant them bail.

He told the court that the accused presented themselves at different police stations after they were made aware of the summons by the prosecution.

The court lifted a warrant of arrest issued against the Nakuru county director of environment, Willice Omondi Were and Nakuru County National Environment Management Authority (Nema) officer, Lynnete Jepchichir Cheruiyot after their lawyers presented them in court.