Three individuals holding top roles at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) have been arrested and will face charges in connection with the fake fertiliser scandal that has been on in the country for about two months now, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) announced yesterday.
On Tuesday evening, Joseph Kimote, Managing Director of NCPB, John Ng’etich, the Corporation Secretary And Head Of Legal Services at NCPB and John Matiri, the State Corporation’s General Manager of Marketing And Operations, were arrested by investigators from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and escorted to Muthaiga Police Station in Nairobi, where they will stay until Thursday when they will be presented in court because Wednesday, May 1, is a public holiday – Labour Day.
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“More arrests are still underway,” DCI boss Mohamed Amin said while confirming their arrests.
In an indictment unsealed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga, the three top NCPB officials will be answering to two counts, namely conspiracy to defraud farmers in the fake fertiliser scam and abuse of office contrary to Section 46 and 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, 2003.
Consequently, along with them, there is Josiah Kariuki Kimani of Silica Booster Limited, popularly known as SBL Innovate Limited, a firm accused of selling fake fertiliser to NCPB for distribution to farmers, who will be charged with forgery contrary to the Penal Code, falsifying crucial tender documents and applying standardisation mark to substandard goods.
In addition, there is a company called Fifty-One Capital (K) Limited whose owners have been indicted to face similar charges, including manufacturing substandard goods for sale and knowingly using wrong labels on the bags of fake fertiliser.
“The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions remains committed to discharging its Constitutional mandate, upholding and protecting the public interest,” DPP Ingonga said.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi is not among those arrested.
