Dam collapse: Kenya court acquaints suspects charged with manslaughter

Nine persons, including dam owner and several government officials have been cleared of manslaughter charges in Naivasha, north of the capital Nairobi, after being arrested and charged over the collapse of the dam, known as Patel or Solai.

The accused were held responsible for the deaths of nearly 50 people following the collapse of a dam in 2018.

Delivering the ruling on Monday, Chief Magistrate Kennedy Bilali set the suspects free, citing a lack of commitment from prosecutors.

Prosecutors said they would appeal against the decision. The accused had all denied wrongdoing.

The dam, near the town of Solai, 190km (120 miles) from Nairobi, burst its banks after heavy rain in May 2018, killing dozens and destroying properties.

A defence lawyer for the accused, named FI Mburu by local media, welcomed the ruling, telling the court that justice had been done.

"In the period the nine suspects have not missed any single day and we are asking the court to discharge the sureties of the accused," he said, according to Kenyan newspaper, the Star.

BBC