The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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Law enforcement agents have summoned numerous officials from government bodies involved in the distribution of counterfeit fertilizer for questioning regarding the ongoing scandal.
The initial group called in for interrogation, from Friday to Sunday, comprised representatives from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KeBS) and suppliers implicated in the matter. Subsequently, officials from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) are scheduled to appear at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters on Monday, April 8, for questioning.
Authorities stated that all individuals responsible for the procurement and distribution of the counterfeit fertilizer, including those overseeing testing procedures, have been summoned.
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The investigative team intends to escalate the issue to higher authorities before presenting their findings to the Director of Public Prosecutions, accompanied by various recommendations.
In response to his alleged involvement in the scandal, Josiah Kariuki, a regional fertilizer merchant based in Kenya, swiftly sought legal recourse to prevent his arrest. He obtained a court order to restrain law enforcement from apprehending him or detaining him. Kariuki’s firm, Silica Booster Limited Innovate Manufacturers (SBL), has been linked to some of the counterfeit fertilizer in circulation.
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Justice Diana Kavedza granted Kariuki anticipatory bail of Sh100,000, acknowledging the urgency of the matter. However, she emphasized that investigative bodies retain the authority to pursue criminal charges against him, although they are prohibited from arresting or detaining him based on the anticipatory bail.
The Ministry of Agriculture disclosed on Friday that testing had been completed on all fertilizers distributed under the subsidy program. While most fertilizers met quality standards, products manufactured and distributed by Ms. KEL Chemicals, including Kelphos Plus, Kelphos Gold, and NPK 10:26:10, failed to meet necessary parameters. Consequently, the government suspended KEL Chemicals’ operations, seized its products, and impounded all its fertilizer stocks distributed via NCPB facilities.
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The Ministry instructed NCPB to replace low-quality fertilizers provided to farmers and pledged to conduct a comprehensive examination of the entire fertilizer supply chain. Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh assured farmers that corrective measures would be swiftly implemented, emphasizing that the impact of the counterfeit fertilizer on agricultural output is minimal, particularly as the issue was addressed early in the planting season in regions like South Rift and North Rift.
