Businesswoman Behind Contaminated Imported Sugar Seized In Mombasa

The seized sugar at a private container freight station, Mitchel Cotts, was imported from Port Louis, Mauritius by Rehema Badi, a marketing strategist at Mitchell Cotts which is under Elavon Logistics Limited.

Word has it that Rehema is a notorious businesswoman used by local and international sugar cartels to dump contaminated sugar in the country. She operates offshore bank accounts where her cut is banked.

It’s alleged that that powerful sugar barons use Rehema to import the contaminated sugar, powder milk, rice and other imports.
Daniel Tanui is the group managing director at Mitchell Cotts Group.

According to Kenya Ports Authority and Kenya Revenue Authority documents, Elavon Logistics Limited situated on Nyali Links Road imported the sugar late last year on bill of landing number MEDUPL346582.

Police seized more than 1,112 metric tonnes of contaminated sugar in Mombasa worth Sh214 million that was about to be released into the market and to the public.

The insurer of the shipper compensated the importer and the said sugar was to be destroyed upon the ship docking at the port of Mombasa.
The same was shipped by the Mediterranean Shipping Line and alleged to have drenched in water in the high seas.

However, the importer allegedly corrupted and bribed KPA and other agency officials who were to ensure the sugar was destroyed. It is said Rehema held meetings with KPA and KRA officials at Nyali Mall where the deal was struck and money running into millions of shillings was agreed upon to facilitate the deal.

Rehema was allowed to offload the contaminated sugar taking it to Mitchel Cotts CFC where she untouchable.

Upon seizure, the importer had made the declaration on February 9 2024 where Sh30 million was paid to customs and Sh6 million was paid to Kenya Bureau of Standards to process the release of the entire consignment into the market.

A letter from The Food, Drugs, and Chemical Substance Act (Cap. 254) Seizure Form B dated February 2 2024 indicated that the entire consignment had been seized, thus saving Kenyans from consuming the contaminated sugar.

Many questions are however being asked over who allowed the importer to offload sugar that was to be destroyed and who allowed a bad consignment to be released in a private cargo facility charge where the importer is an employee?

Officials at owned Mitchell Cotts CFS in Mombasa were caught with their pants down, and are now engaged in damage control. They now claim that the alleged 780.2 metric tonnes of contaminated sugar stored at the station was not released into the local market.

Mitchell Cotts CFS director in charge of operations James Rariaya said samples have been taken for laboratory and quality assurance testing by Kebs and that no sugar has been released for consumption. Sources say that Rariaya was part of the deal that also involve powerful political wheelerdealers in Nairobi and Mombasa.

It was shipped into the country, inside 46 20-foot containers, aboard the container carrier MSC Eagle F.

The ship partially sank for over 24 hours outside the Kilindini channel. Several containers were thus affected by water seepage.

However, last week, it emerged that there was an attempt to release the cargo into the market, despite a seizure order from the government agencies. Rehema was making calls, threatening those blocking the cargo release.

Caught in the mix is Rehema buddy at KRA Swaleh Teher, chief manager of port operations. Word has it that Teher does not get on well with George Aduwi, manager at the ICDN and Jane Ombui of revenue monitoring unit.

During the clearing process, Rehema and Teher dropped the name of KRA board chairman Anthony Mwaura.