Eight suspects have been reportedly arraigned in court in connection with the disappearance of a consignment of subsidized fertilizer that occurred between April 18 to 27 this year, as it was being transported to different destinations in the country.
According to a report by Director of Criminal Investigation DCI, the suspects who pleaded not guilty to charges of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony Contrary to Section 393 of the Penal Code and Stealing Goods in Transit Contrary to Section 297(c) of the Penal Code, were arraigned at the Milimani Law courts yesterday, the 30th May 2023, following a meticulous probe by detectives based at the DCI Operations Unit.
“The suspects are believed to have taken advantage of the ongoing efforts by the Government to help farmers access the commodity at a reduced cost and diverted the commodity to an unknown destination, prompting the swift action by the detectives.”
“The disappearance of the fertilizer was first reported at Mikindani Police Station vide OB No. 31/4/5/2023 by the Kenya National Trading Company logistics officer Moses Kata, who is based in Mombasa.” DCI statement read.
The company is said to have contracted Yellow Arrow Express Limited to deliver 281 tonnes, equivalent to 5,620 bags each weighing 50kgs of the subsidized fertilizer, from warehouses in Mombasa to various destinations in the country.
The consignment was transported in 10 trucks but only two trucks delivered the fertilizer to their intended destination in Kericho and Ol Moran, Laikipia County, as the remaining 8 trucks diverted 4,520 bags to an unknown destination.
“Disappearance of the fertilizer was detected on April 29, when KNTC’s logistics manager was informed that a consignment of 560 bags, which had been dispatched on April 27, destined for the National Cereals and Produce Board in Lessos, Nandi County, had not been delivered.”
“But according to the driver of the truck ferrying the 560 bags of CAN fertilizer, he received a call from an unidentified caller posing as an agent of KNTC, who instructed him to stop at a shopping centre 25 kilometres away from Lessos.”
DCI says the consignment was offloaded and loaded into two waiting trucks after stamping the delivery instruction with a KNTC Eldoret receiver stamp, before the lorries drove off to an unknown destination.
Detectives says they are yet to establish the whereabouts of the 4,520 bags that disappeared.
So far, 8 suspects including Joseph Muthama, Stanely Muthama, Martin Munyao, and Joseph Muthama have been arrested. Others are Eric Ng’ang’a, Fredrick Gateri, Anthony Ngei and Beatrice Mwikali.
Eight other suspects are on the run and detectives are following crucial leads, that may lead to their arrest.
