Interdicted Kebs officials spend night in cells over bad sugar

From left: Kebs Inspection Manager Samuel Njolo, Daniel Samuel Musta (Kebs Inspection Officer), Peter Mwadziwe (Kilindini Port Health Officer) and Air Menzies International company Director Ali Abdi Mohamed appear before Mombasa Court on August 17, 2018. PHOTO | BRIAN OCHARO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

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By  Brian Ocharo

What you need to know:

  • Kebs officials were charged with wilful disobedience of statutory duty contrary to Section 130 of the penal code.
  • Mr Njolo, Mr Musta and Mr Nzui are further charged with abuse of office.
  • The suspects denied the charges before Mombasa Resident Magistrate Christine Ogweno.
  • Mr Njolo and Mr Musta are further accused of entering into an agreement with Air Menzies International to permit the release of substandard goods into the country.

Two Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) officials, Kilindini Port health officer and director of a company will spend the night in the cells.

The officials were on Friday charged with releasing 10,000 bags of substandard Egyptian brown sugar into the Kenyan market.  

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.

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The accused jointly with others not before court, wilfully caused 10,000 bags of Egyptian brown sugar that failed to comply with the requirements of Kebs, to be released into the market.

BROWN SUGAR

Mr Njolo, Mr Musta and Mr Mwadziwe are further charged with abuse of office. They have been accused of unlawfully authorising the release of the substandard brown sugar to Flora Bakers ltd.  

The three are also charged with breach of trust, while inspection manager, inspection officer and health officer have been charged with unlawfully authorising the release of the substandard sugar to Flora Bakers Ltd.

Mr Njolo and Mr Musta are further accused of entering into an agreement with Air Menzies International to permit the release of substandard goods into the local market.

COMPLIANCE

As a health officer, Mr Mwadziwe is also charged with failing to ensure full compliance of Section 30(11) of the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act and releasing the goods before obtaining a certificate of the results of the samples analysis from the Government Chemist.

The prosecution said the suspects committed the offence Between June 28 and July 11 in Mombasa.

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 on Friday.

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

BOND APPLICATION

Principal Prosecution Counsel Jami Yamina and Assistant Director of Public Prosecution Solomon Njeru said investigators needed ample time to establish the origin of the sugar and its owners.

Mr Jami said should the court consider granting the suspects bond, an order be issued to compel them to transport the sugar to court for safe custody.

The case will be heard on August 20.

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