Paul Njoroge Says He is Not Done With Igathe

Former Nominated senator Paul Njoroge has said that he is not done with Vivo energy despite the firm’s former CEO Boniface Igathe dropping charges against him.

Speaking outside the law courts, Njoroge expressed his joy that the case had been dropped adding that he would now concentrate with other crucial things.
“Am happy that this case has been dropped but am not yet done with Vivo Energy Company which illegally took over the petrol station that I have been running,” he said.

The court has dropped gun charges against former nominated Senator Paul Njoroge after he and former Nairobi deputy governor Polycarp Igathe agreed on an out of court settlement.Njoroge had been charged that on February 7, 2017 he misused his gun by attempting to shoot at Igathe and his Vivo Energy Company staff during an exercise to repossess a petrol station.

According to the charge sheet, the former senator on the said date in Naivasha created disturbance in a manner likely to breach of peace by firing at the workers using his Ceska pistol.

Njoroge shot in the air  to stop workers from closing down a Shell petrol station he operates on Nairobi-Nakuru highway.Vivo Energy hired the workers to confiscate equipment after the Senator allegedly failed to follow some rules.

KEPSA chairman Polycarp Igathe was among those caught up in the confrontation. He was at the station to effect its closure. Trouble started in the afternoon after workers moved in and demolished part of the station entrance before carting away fuel pumps.

The Senator arrived shortly after to stop the exercise after obtaining an order from Naivasha law courts.

Principal magistrate Esther Kimilu restrained the fuel company from interfering, taking over or terminating the contract until the case is heard and determined. Njoroge engaged the workers in a heated argument but some continued with the demolition, forcing the Senator to fire in the air.

An irate and emotional Njoroge blamed business rivalry for the incident, adding that he complied with all regulations.

 

“I paid Sh2.5 million to Vivo and I have insurance of Sh6 million. The fuel company decided to ignore a court order,” he said. He denied that the petrol station had run out of fuel and said the take-over was meant to cancel his deal with Vivo so a rival trader could get the premises.

But when he appeared before Naivasha Chief Magistrate Kennedy Bidali, the prosecution told the court that they wanted to withdraw the case.

The prosecution noted that it would be difficult to continue with the case after the accused and the complainant entered into consent.

“The accused person and the complainant have resolved issues culminating from the case and have mutually resolved and the matter is marked as settled,” read the consent in part.
Njoroge through his lawyer Francis Mburu did not object to the withdrawal but applied that his gun and Sh50,000 cash bail be refunded. The magistrate directed the investigating officer to return the gun and the ammunition which were to be used as exhibits and also the cash bail.

Njoroge has already filed a civil case at the Naivasha law courts against the fuel company over losses that he incurred during the eviction exercise.

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