.Kenya port Authorities have seized 112 metric tonnes of contaminated sugar worth KSh 214 Million That was released to the local market
.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
Kenya port Authorities have seized 112 metric tonnes of contaminated sugar worth ksh 214,616,000 million that was being released to the public market.
The seized sugar at private CFC Mitchel Cotts was imported by Rehema Badi an employee of Mitchel Cotts under Elavon Logistics Limited.
According to Kenya Ports Authority and Kenya Revenue Authority documents Elavon Logistics Limited situated in Nyali Links Road late last year was on bill of landing number MEDUPL346582.
They Imported 112 metric tons of sugar (4000 bags of Demerara sugar, 23,520 bags of light Muscovado sugar totalling 27,520 as per proforma invoice number P1009690 from Mauritius.
The same was shipped by the Mediterranean shipping line and same alleged to have drenched in water on the high seas.
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 Mitchel Cotts CFC where she is a senior employee.
Upon seizure, the importer had made the declaration on 9/2/2024 where KSh 30 million was paid to customs and KSh 6 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 addressed indicating that the entire consignment had been seized.
Saving Kenyans from consuming contaminated Sugar.
Many questions are being asked:
Who allowed the importer to offload sugar that was to be destroyed?
Who allowed a bad consignment to be released in a private CFC where the importer is an employee?
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 Mitchel 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 accepted to hold its employee contaminated sugar consignment and allow to start a process of releasing it to the market yielded no fruits as security at the gate said they were under management instruction not to allow any journalist at the premises.
“I have shown management this paper and they have given instruction 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 who refused to disclose his name.
