Four days after a huge fire razed down parts of Malik Heights building destroying cars and property worth around Ksh600 million, the owner of the building Ahmed Siddique has decided to forgive the alleged arsonist.
Speaking through his brother, Shahid Siddique, he assured that the family was at peace with itself and will forgive Yusuf Adow, as they get ready to bounce back to business.
“Actually, we have no choice. We have decided to reopen and we will also forgive him (Yusuf Adow) and let the law take its own course,” Shahid optimistically promised.
“There is no insurance, neither for the building nor the vehicles. This is a family business which we have worked hard for. It has taken us almost 22-25 years to build this up," Shahid added.
Police are still in hot pursuit of the suspect, amid lingering questions on the motive of the arson and why the family hasn’t yet recorded a statement with the police.
However, the company is yet to comprehend why their employee Yusuf Adow, who worked for them as a broker for the past four years, would commit such an atrocious act. The Pakistan family also denied claims that the arson act was as a result of a botched business deal between the family and the broker.
“We didn’t owe him a single shilling. His work was to bring in customers and we paid him on commission as per what we had agreed with him per unit. Either Ksh 50,000 or Ksh 20,000 or whatever amount it was. Whenever we sold and got our money, we straight away paid him his amount,” a so-down to earth Shahid confided.
The Pakistan businessman is said to have been on the police radar over the alleged links to an illegal trade that extends beyond the Kenyan borders, a claim which the businessman declined vehemently.
“If we would have been participating in illegal trade like drugs or whatever we are accused of, the government would not have spared us even for a day,” Shahid denied the allegations.
During the Monday night fire, 65 high-end vehicles were burned down, with nine reduced to empty shells, inflicting a major loss to the Pakistan family, since no vehicles were insured.
Detectives identified the arsonist, 31-year-old Yusuf Adow, born in Mandera and a former broker after CCTV footage at the building, along Ngong Road in Nairobi, captured him setting the premises on fire.
Here is the video;
