OCP Kenya, the owner of MV Mykonos Bay - the ship that mysteriously disappeared from Mombasa Port, published a statement on Friday explaining what happened.
According to OCP, an article published in the Daily Nation concerning the incident amounted to "grave accusations" against the company.
"Following the grave accusations levelled against OCP Kenya, the Group temporarily suspended any further product shipments to Kenya forthwith.
"This is to allow OCP Kenya to, as a matter of priority, dedicate all its energies and resources to provide full support to the mandated authorities until the matter is fully resolved," the statement read in part.
[caption caption="MV Mykonos Bay docked at a port"]
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In the local daily, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss George Kinoti was quoted raising suspicions over why the ship carrying 10,000 tonnes of fertilizer had vanished prior to tests that awaited it at the Mombasa port.
"What is loaded in that ship could be a dangerous consignment and that is why they do not want to go through the inspection," he suggested.
He added that OCP Kenya, which had brought in the fertilizer from Morocco, was the subject of ongoing investigations over claims of importing counterfeits.
"This is the same company whose directors we have taken to court over the importation of fake fertilizer. We are pursuing the Moroccan directors," the DCI boss revealed.
In response to the claims by Mr Kinoti, OCP Kenya explained that the ship was only rerouted, it did not disappear.
"In this context (compliance with investigators), OCP made the decision to reroute the vessel MV Mykonos Bay. It is instructive to point out that the vessel was rerouted while on international waters," the statement from the company explained.
[caption caption="OCP Chairman and CEO Mostafa Terrab (L) poses for a photo after striking a past business deal"]
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