As Kenyans stay vigilant with recent revelation of contaminated sugar in the market, reports on the mysterious disappearance of the consignment that was condemned by the Kenya Bureau Of Standards (KEBS) in 2018 emerged on Thursday, May 18.
According to reports a Thika-based company wrote a letter to various agencies requesting that the sugar be handed over to them to turn the consignment into ethanol.
Consequently, a green light was issued to the company to pick up the 20,000 bags of sugar from Mombasa. The sugar originated from Zimbabwe.
Reports indicate that the sugar was released from Mombasa on April 12 even as officers from KEBS and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) oversaw the exercise.
The sugar was transported for eight days and arrived at the company's premises on April 20.
Upon arrival, officers from various agencies also witnessed the arrival of the consignment which was then kept under lock and key.
However, two weeks later on May 4, when officers from KEBS went to inspect the consignment, it was discovered that the sugar was missing.
Interestingly, the locks used to protect the sugar were still intact.
Other media reports also alleged that a deal had been brokered between the scrupulous officials and an unsuspecting buyer before the sugar was released in Mombasa
It was at that point that an alarm was raised with the suspicion that the sugar had already made its way to shelves across shops in the country.
Police agencies were also involved in the investigations with preliminary reports indicating that seven people were arrested in connection with the mysterious disappearance.
It is reported that the suspects will be arraigned before a court of law on Friday, May 18.
The mysterious disappearance of the condemned sugar caused leadership changes at KEBS after the suspension of former KEBS MD Bernard Njiraini by President William Ruto.
Njiraini was replaced by Esther Ngari in an acting capacity.
26 other officials from other agencies were also suspended pending the conclusion of investigations
"In recognition of the unique mandate of the agencies as vanguards of public health and safety, it is manifest that some officers in the relevant agencies abdicated their responsibilities, at the risk of public harm," Head of Public Service Felix Koskei stated
