Police officers in conjunction with KRA and KPA officers have seized 112 metric tonnes of contaminated sugar worth Ksh214,616,000 in Mombasa.
The contaminated sugar that was seized on February 17, 2024 was being released to the market for human consumption.
The contaminated sugar that was seized at private CFC Mitchel Cotts was imported by Rehema Badi, an employee of Mitchel Cotts under Elavon Logistics Limited.
According to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) documents, Elavon Logistics Limited imported 112 metric tonnes of sugar (4000 bags of Demerara sugar, 23,520 bags of light Muscovado sugar totaling 27,520 as per proforma invoice number P1009690) from Mauritius.
The sugar was shipped by the Mediterranean shipping line and is alleged to have drenched in water on the high seas.
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The insurer of the shippers compensated the importer and sugar was to be destroyed upon ship docking at Mombasa port after offloading the contaminated consignment.
However the importer corruptly bribed Kenya ports authority and other agency officials who were to ensure the sugar was destroyed.
The importer, Rehama Badi was allowed to offload the contaminated sugar taking it to Mitchell Cotts CFC where she is a senior employee.
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The importer had made the declaration on February 9, 2024 where Ksh30 million was paid to customs and Ksh6 million was paid to KEBS to process the release of the entire consignment for the market.
A letter from The Food, Drugs, and Chemical Substance Act (Cap .254) Seizure Form ‘B’ dated 15/02/2024 indicated that the entire consignment had been seized.
The impounding of the contaminated sugar has saved Kenyans from consuming it, after it was declared unfit for human consumption.
When Kenya Ports Authority MD captain Ruto was contacted to answer questions he responded via WhatsApp saying,
” Hi KPA releases cargo once approval has been received from KRA however consignment at Mitchell Cotts which is a custom bonded transit shed just like CFSs takes cargo before final release. The final release is done at their facility which is manned by KRA officers.”
A spot check at Mitchell Cotts Changamwe Cfc to establish why the management agreed to hold contaminated sugar consignment, yielded no fruits.
Security officers at the gate said they were under instruction not to allow any journalist at the premises.
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“I have shown management this paper and they have given instructions not to allow any journalist inside the premises.
“The person whose name appears on paper as an importer and an employee of Mitchel Cotts is the one responsible for answering those questions and currently, she is not around,” said the chief security officer who refused to disclose his name.
Story written by Brian Barasa Siundu, a TV47 correspondent in Mombasa
