Was Sh1.9 Billion Sugar Contaminated With Mercury Redistributed?

Authorities are questioning the whereabouts of Sugar that was marked as contaminated with mercury and confiscated. The Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) is on the spot after 500,000 bags of contraband sugar impounded last year could not be accounted for.

Appearing before the parliamentary committee top managers at Kebs failed to ascertain whether the sugar was destroyed or it was released back for public consumption.

Despite being a member of a multi-agency team that is investigating the matter, Kebs Managing Director, Bernard Njiraini said he does not know how may bags have been destroyed. “I cannot say how may bags have been destroyed,” said Njiraini. The multi- agency team comprises the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kebs and the Ministry of Trade

The lawmakers wondered why the Kebs boss could not provide a definite answer on the matter and decided a team should be sent to the warehouses where the sugar was stored. The team would then report back if they found the sugar and if not, if they found a report giving details of the process of destroying the sugar.

The government had sworn to destroy the consumable which was deemed unfit for human consumption. “The sugar must be destroyed. We have been given a report that it is not good for public consumption, that is why we want it destroyed soonest possible,” Trade and industrialization Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya had said.