Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited has been dealt a huge blow after the High Court ordered it to pay more than Ksh500 million for the Nakumatt Supermarket Kenyatta Avenue fire on January 28, 2009, which killed 30 people.
Justice Jacqueline Mong'are ordered the power company to pay the premise's owner, Woolworths Limited, USD 3,085,600 (Ksh41.5 million) for rent loss, Ksh7.4 million for land rent and rates, Ksh58.5 million for the value of the building, Ksh4 million for the cost of demolition and improvement of the property, Ksh185,600 for Quantity Surveyor fees, Ksh243,600 for legal fees, and Ksh469,800 for carting away the debris, plus interest, beginning August 13, 2009.
The judge also granted the owner general, aggravated and exemplary damages together with interest from the date of her judgment until payment in full.
In her judgment, Justice Mong'are compensated the owner of the prime property the millions of shillings saying that KPLC was to blame for the fire outbreak at the premises.
"In view of the foregoing and the testimony rendered before this court and in the absence of any other evidence to the contrary, l am persuaded that there is a prima facie evidence before this court to suggest that KPLC is solely to blame for two fire outbreak at the suit property," Justice Mong'are ruled.