Goons suspected to have been hired by auctioneers on Tuesday invaded a go-down in Mlolongo and destroyed property worth Sh3 billion.
Magvel Cartons Limited was raided in what owner Paras Shah Megvel has linked to a tussle over land on which the premises sit.
Megvel has accused police of complicity in the raid, saying officers who were present did not stop the invaders from destroying his property.
The company director claims he had secured a court order that stayed any attempts to auction his property. The court had directed that the status quo be maintained pending further directions in the matter.
However, those laying ownership claims on the land got another court order allowing them to take over possession of the land.
Megvel claims rival firm hired a rogue auctioneer that used goons to destroy his property.
The goons invaded his carton making factory, destroyed part of the machinery and set ablaze a section of the factory on Tuesday.
"They destroyed property as police watched. I don't know what to do next but to take legal action against the auctioneers and their agents," Megvel told the Star on Wednesday.
Megvel's lawyer Wanjala Bwire said the raid was against the court order.
“The court never directed that the property to be destroyed, over 700 people are now unemployed. We don't know what investors can do if goons cannot be stopped from causing such damages,” Bwire said.
Bwire who helped Megvel secure the orders that directed a status quo be maintained had raised grounds on which he felt the tycoons’ rights were violated.
He said the order restricting the invasion and attempted eviction of Megvel Cartons Limited from the contested land had been issued on June 27 by a Machakos magistrate's court.
However, the respondents also filed an application seeking the eviction of Megvel from the the said parcel of land.
They secured the orders.
“The order of eviction was granted but the court directed that no destruction of property was to be witnessed. The respondent went ahead and invaded the said parcel with goons and bulldozers and demolished part of the buildings, burned down a go-down and looted property worth Sh 3billion,” Bwire said in suit papers filed afresh in court.
Megvel is seeking damages arguing that the destruction of property was done contrary to the orders issued on June 27 and extended on July 27 and that the respondents and its directors were aware of the same.
