A tycoon whose carton-making factory in Mlolongo, Machakos County was set ablaze by goons on Saturday morning has blamed the police and court officials for this woes.
Addressing the press on Sunday, Paras Shah alleged that police supervised the destruction of his property following a land tussle with a rival company.
Together with his legal team, the owner of Megvel Cartons Limited accused the company eyeing his land of using fake titles and taking them to court to get approval.
“An investment of Ksh4 billion has now been razed to the ground. We have shown you pictures of the destruction of machinery. Why were goons allowed to destroy the property,” the owner complained.
The tycoon further revealed that trucks had been stationed at his property and were being used to illegally ferry his merchandise.
He wondered under whose authority his merchandise was being sold. He explained that the land tussle had taken a long to settle because there had been interference in the judicial process.
The land has been in dispute for years and on July 24, the Environment and Land Court in Machakos issued an injunction stopping a company that was laying claim on the property from gaining entry.
The company went ahead and obtained services of an auctioneer and the tycoon was duly served with an eviction notice.
In fear of losing his multibillion shillings company, he rushed to court and obtained stay orders. Subsequently, Mlolongo OCS was directed to make sure that no property was destroyed.
“Pending the hearing and determination of this application inter-partes the orders issued on June 30 be and is hereby stayed and that inter partes hearing on August 15,” the court had ordered then.
Despite the stay order, the factory was broken into and carton-making machines were destroyed as well as part of the factory set fire.
The ensuing melee saw locals from Mlolongo take advantage and loot goods of untold value.
The tycoon wonders why the company disobeyed the court order. He further questioned why the eviction would encompass the destruction of property.
