The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) on Wednesday, May 1, preferred charges against three government officials concerning the manufacture, distribution and sale of substandard fertiliser.
The arrested officials working with the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) had earlier been summoned for a 9-hour board meeting.
According to reports, the officials stayed in the meeting convened by the Ministry of Agriculture from 11:00 am only to be put in handcuffs at 8:00 pm.
ODPP in its statement announced that the arrested officials were; Joseph Kimote, (Managing Director), John Ng'etich, (Corporation Secretary) and John Matiri (Marketing and Operation).
On the charges facing Kimote, ODPP revealed, “Conspiracy to defraud and abuse of office contrary to the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.”
Ng’etich and Matiri will also face similar charges.
Additionally, ODPP further revealed that a director of two of the fertiliser manufacturing firms would be charged with document forgery as well as conspiracy to defraud.
The director will also face charges of applying a standardisation mark to a commodity that does not comply with Kenyan standards.
The two companies are also under investigation for knowingly distributing substandard fertiliser to Kenyans.
President William Ruto had earlier directed that all farmers who bought the substandard fertiliser be refunded their money.
NCPB has already kickstarted the process of refunding farmers who had bought the subsidised fertiliser.
