KPA on the spot over gaming machines imported illegally
The illegal gambling machines which were seized in Nakuru on December 24, 2019. DCI is investigating KPA officials after the machines were cleared at the port. PHOTO |FRANCIS MUREITHI |NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The five Chinese citizens were illegally assembling gaming machines in a rented in a posh estate.
- Their immigration documents indicated that they were aged between 30 and 51 years.
- They arrived in Kenya early this month and had a one-month visa permit to stay in the country.
- Mr Kinoti said DCI detectives will investigate how machines were cleared at the port of Mombasa.
Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti has put officials of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in Mombasa on his radar after banned gambling machines were cleared at the port.
The 169 illegal gambling machines were confiscated on Christmas Eve when police officers smashed a ring in Free Area in the outskirts of Nakuru town and arrested five Chinese nationals.
ILLEGAL ASSEMBLY
The five Chinese citizens were illegally assembling gaming machines in a rented house in the posh estate.
Their immigration documents indicated that they were aged between 30 and 51 years.
They arrived in Kenya early this month and had a one-month visa permit to stay in the country.
The suspects will be arraigned in court Friday.
The illegal machines went through the port of Mombasa and finally landed in Nakuru in unclear circumstances.
“We don’t know how the machines landed in Nakuru after clearance in Mombasa because gambling is banned in Kenya,” said a senior police officer in Nakuru town.
DCI PROBE
But Mr Kinoti has assured Kenyans that DCI detectives will investigate how the machines were cleared at the port of Mombasa.
“If it emerges that those who were expected to act failed, they will have to answer for abetting an economic crime,” said Mr Kinoti.
Mr Kinoti did not indicate when the suspects will record statements with the DCI.
The DCI boss has been leading forensic investigations of alleged procurement irregularities, economic crimes and loss of public funds at the KPA.
Top management officials, including KPA Managing Director Daniel Manduku, are on the DCI and EACC radars with detectives investigating a Sh2.7 billion tender scandal.
Top officials at the port have in the past been linked to the theft of public funds amounting to billions of shillings through irregular deals.
The port has also been on the spot following mysterious disappearance of containers, smuggling of top-of-the-range vehicles from the European market and tax invasion scandals.
