British millionaire faces life in jail after Dam collapse on his Kenyan farm kills 48 people

August 7, 2018

Millionaire's family was ranked the 388th wealthiest in Britain in the last Sunday Times Rich List, with interests in oil & gas, agriculture, mineral processing, shipping & property in both the UK & Africa. They also own One Aldwych, the 5-star hotel in London.

A British millionaire has been charged with manslaughter after 48 people died following a dam burst on his farm in Kenya. Nearly half of them were children.

Millionaire Perry Mansukhlal Kansagra, whose vast 33,000 acre plot in the Rift Valley produces tea & coffee, denies the charges & has rejected the claims that the structure was built illegally.

However, if found guilty the 44-year-old – whose family is worth an estimated £320m – would spend rest of his life in jail.

Nearly 5,000 people were left homeless when the dam on Patel Farm, near the town of Solai, breached its walls following heavy rain on 10th May. 3 entire villages were washed away during the catastrophe & the torrent was so powerful that some of the bodies were found 6 miles away from their homes.

Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, 1 victim Joseph Gothogo revealed he had lost his 4 children, aged from 2 month to 8-year-old.

“I tried to save them but the house collapsed & they were swept away,” he said. “There was nothing I could do. I was overwhelmed by waters.”

Businessman Mr Perry Mansukhlal Kansagra was born in Kenya but has dual British citizenship.

He himself was in the UK at the time of the disaster but was arrested following his return to Kenya & is presently on bail after surrendering his passports.

His family was ranked the 388th wealthiest in Britain in the last Sunday Times Rich List, with interests in oil & gas, agriculture, mineral processing, shipping & property in both the UK & Africa. They also own One Aldwych, the 5-star hotel in London.

After the dam burst, Mr Kansagra has given a TV interview in Kenya denying accusations that the dam breached regulations.

He claims that unexpectedly heavy rains in the region were the cause of collapse of dam’s walls.

“All the dams are legal, they have proper permission from authorities of the Water Department, we have all their proper permission & we've been paying all the fees on time. They (the authorities) have continuously been coming to look & inspect the dams,” he claimed.

Victims have since claimed they were offered £750 compensation for each dead family member by Mr Kansagra’s business, Solai Group, in return for signing indemnity forms that stated they wouldn't sue for further compensation.