Only three prosecution witnesses are remaining to testify in a case in which three Directors of a Fertilizer firm and KRA officials are facing charges of importing substandard fertilizer in a case which has now dragged on for almost 2 years later.
Bimal Rajnikant Kantaria , Iqbal Mohammed and Baiju Kantaria, have been charged with seven counts of willful disobedience of statutory duty contrary to section 130 of the penal code, abuse of office, connivance to commit an offence and negligence of official duty for releasing substandard fertilizer into the Kenyan market
Nairobi senior Principal Magistrate Kennedy Cheruiyot has heard 14 witness accounts and the prosecution had sought for adjournment in order to produce the remaining witnesses in the matter.
The directors had been charged alongside KEBS and KRA officials in 2018 over the importation of substandard fertilizer into the country.
On 30th June 2018 Kiprono Vullut and Ahmed Ashkir Dahir connived to release a consignment of substandard potassium nitrate fertilizer to Elgon Kenya limited vide entry number 2018/MSA6925160. This was against the law as the fertilizer did not meet the specified standard for potassium nitrate.
Irene Githendu, Kiamba clearing and forwarding limited and Elgon Kenya were further charged that on 18th to 30th June 2018 in Mombasa county acting as clearing agents abused their offices by unlawfully authorizing the release of substandard fertilizer willfully disobeying the provisions of section 20 of the standards act and putting the lives of Kenyans at risk.
Elgon Kenya’s Director Kantaria was recently feted with a Honorary Doctorate of Humanities degree by the United Graduate College and Seminary International, a US-based theology college, for his efforts at promoting agriculture in East Africa, working with the youth in building capacity for the future and his philanthropy.
The case proceeds on March 2nd, this year.
