The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) on Monday refuted reports suggesting that a businesswoman who allegedly went missing shortly after leaving the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters on Thursday last week imported 100,000 metric tons of fuel worth Ksh 17 billion.
In a statement, the authority dismissed the authenticity of the document doing rounds on social media which allegedly shows that the huge consignment of oil belongs to the missing businesswoman.
According to KPA, for fuel imports, all relevant government agencies are required to adhere to the existing government-to-government fuel deal signed between Kenya and Gulf countries.
Consequently, KPA makes prior checks to ensure that the shipper, which in most cases are oil marketing companies appointed by the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum and the consignee are licensed by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) and nominated by the appointed international oil marketer.
For the case in question, the ship carrying 93,460.46 Metric Tonnes of oil, under 4 bills left Samref Terminal in Saudi Arabia on 26th September, made several stops, and finally departed for Mombasa on September 30, 2023.
''The consignees and their respective portions of the bulk cargo are listed in the Manifest submitted by the Ship's Agent and KPA confirms that the businesswoman's Import and Export Enterprises Limited is not one of the manifested consignees,'' KPA's statement read in part.
''Unlike Bills of Landing, the document is signed by the stated Shipper, not the Master of Vessel. The cargo said to be manifested in the purported bill of landing is 100,000 kilograms (equivalent of 84MT) only, which is approximately only 0.09% of the total product carried on board MT Haigui (ship in question),'' the agency said in a statement.
As such, according to KPA, several discrepancies have been noted.
''Further, copies of MT Haigui's ownership documents in KPA's possession do not show the woman's Import and Export Enterprises Limited as the owner of MT Haigui,'' the statement read.
A discrepancy was also noted in the dates of loading consignment and the day of docking in comparison to the ones issued by KPA.
The arrival dates also differ.
''Loading date indicated as 9th October 2023 which contradicts the ship's actual loading date between 26th and 28th September 2023. Further, the vessel actually arrived in Mombasa on 11th October 2023, which is only 2 days after the purported loading date. not correct,'' the Authority stated.
The origin of the consignment also differs with the Authority now stating that it came from Yanbu in Saudi Arabia and not from Jeddah.
KPA further disputed the claim that the imported oil was diesel maintaining that the consignment was Gasoil as cleared by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).
''The product is indicated as Diesel EN590 10 PPM. This is contrary to the manifested cargo which is Gasoil cleared under KEBS pre-import inspection as KS EAS 177 50 PPM,'' the statement read.
