The Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti is a disturbed boss following the mysterious disappearance of a vessel that was shipping in fertilizer from Morocco to the port in Mombasa.
The ship ferrying 10,000 tonnes of fertilizer reportedly made a U-turn on the waters when they realized the cargo was to be subjected to tougher tests to ascertain the quality of the luggage.
This comes at a time the government has heightened the fight against the influx of substandard goods into the Kenyan market.
Interior CS Fred Matiangi warned that the counterfeits purge was also aimed at sealing tax evasion loopholes. The DCI boss has held that the government will still pursue the ship to ensure that the fertilizer in the ship is not offloaded anywhere else as it is suspected to be unsafe for the market.
[caption caption="View of the Mombasa port in 2008"]
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“What is loaded in that ship could be a dangerous consignment and that is why they do not want to go through the inspection,” stated Kinoti.
He added that the company seeking to import the fertilizer is the same entity that was linked to a multi-million fertilizer saga that had seen several KEBS officials arrested last week.
Kinoti revealed: “This is the same company whose directors we have taken to court over the importation of fake fertilizer. We are pursuing the Moroccan directors.”
KEBS CEO Charles Ongwae and coast regional director Martin Nyakiamo were arrested for allegedly allowing the company fertilizer into the country even after its supplies failed to meet the requisite standards.
The two and nine other officials were on Monday charged with attempted murder and abuse of office among other charges.
The company in response to the matter held that they had not committed any offense, insisting that they had met the standards and brought in the supply after having met all legal requirements.
“Indeed OCP complied fully with Kenyan procedures and regulations in place in relation with the cargo targeted by this action,” read part of the response by the company.
[caption caption="KEBS bosses in court on Monday June 25, 2018"]
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