Officers drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested one of the key suspects in the contaminated sugar saga at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Saturday, May 20, night.
According to a police report released on Sunday, May 21, the officers in collaboration with customs officers nabbed the suspect who had flown into the country from Dubai.
Customs officers were alarmed because of a departure prohibition that had been issued against the suspect and other Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) officials.
He was pulled aside and the DCI officers immediately alarmed. The officers searched and identified the suspect before arresting him.
During his arrest, the suspect was found in possession of an interim order for anticipatory bail of Ksh100,000 issued by the Mombasa High Court in a Criminal Miscellaneous Application dated May 19, 2023.
The DCI officers escorted him to Kamukunji Police Station where he was detained awaiting arraignment in court scheduled for Monday, May 22.
The Mombasa-based businessman was accused of being a witness to the opening and breaching of the 40 containers with the contaminated sugar that was released into the market.
Ruto's Chief of Staff, Felix Koskei, on Wednesday, May 17, revealed that the contaminated sugar which was intercepted by DCI officers while being transported from a godown in Thika, was scheduled for conversion into industrial ethanol.
Koskei stated that the sugar consignment comprising 20,000 bags (each 50kgs), had been imported into the country in the year 2018 and condemned by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) for want of expiry date specification.
President William Ruto as a result of the irregularities suspended KEBS Managing Director Bernard Njiraini alongside 26 other government officials including eight from the Revenue Authority (KRA), four police officers and six others from the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA).
“It has since been established that the consignment was irregularly diverted and unprocedural released.
"It has since been established that the consignment was irregularly diverted and unprocedurally released. Further, the conditions relating to open and competitive enlisting of the distiller were breached and the applicable taxes were not paid," Koskei stated.
In 2018, it was reported that nearly 20,000 bags of the poisonous sugar had left Mombasa for distribution in parts of Nairobi and Central Kenya before being condemned for destruction by relevant authorities.
Following a series of tests, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) declared the consignment unfit for human consumption and placed it under lock and strict surveillance of security organs.
