Four charged over illegal sugar imports

What you need to know:

  • The prosecution said the suspects entered into agreement with Air Menzies International to permit the release of the substandard cargo.
  • Ms Ogweno ordered the other four suspects to be remanded at Port Police Station pending ruling on their bond application.

Two Kenya Bureau of Standards officials, a Kilindini port health officer and a director of an importing company were on Friday charged with allowing 10,000 bags of substandard sugar into the country.

Kebs inspection manager Samuel Njolo, inspection officer Daniel Samuel Musta, port health official Peter Mwadziwe and Air Menzies International Company director Ali Abdi Mohamed denied the charge before Mombasa Resident Magistrate Christine Ogweno.

Mr Njolo and Mr Musta were further charged with abuse of office, where they are accused of unlawfully authorising the release of the substandard brown sugar with excess moisture content and water insoluble matter to Flora Bakers Ltd.

The prosecution said the suspects entered into agreement with Air Menzies International to permit the release of the substandard cargo.

Mr Mwadziwe is further charged that as a health officer, he wilfully disobeyed statutory duty by failing to ensure full compliance of Section 30(11) of the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act.

ARREST WARRANT

He released the goods before obtaining a certificate of the results of the analysis of the samples taken from the said bags of sugar from the Government Chemist.

The magistrate issued a warrant of arrest against Hassan Abdi Mohamed and Abdulahi Abdi Mohamed, who are also the directors of Flora Bakers Ltd after failing to appear in court to take plea Friday.

Ms Ogweno ordered the other four suspects to be remanded at Port Police Station pending ruling on their bond application.

The application will be heard on August 20.