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Kebs officials, importer charged over bad sugar

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Kenya Bureau of Standards Inspection Manager Samuel Njolo, Daniel Samuel Musta (Kebs Inspection Officer) ,Peter Mwadziwe (Kilindini Port Health Officer and Air Menzies International company director Ali Abdi Mohamed before Mombasa Court on August 17,2018.

Two Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) officials, Kilindini Port health officer and director of an importing company have been charged with releasing 10,000 bags of substandard sugar into the country.
Kebs Inspection Manager and Inspection Officer Samuel Njolo and Daniel Samuel Musta, Peter Mwadziwe (Kilindini Port Health Officer) and Air Menzies International company director Ali Abdi Mohamed have been charged with willful disobedience of statutory duty contrary to section 130 of the Penal Code.
The charge sheet indicates that the accused, jointly with others not before court, wilfully caused to be released to the public 10,000 bags of 50kgs bags of Egyptian brown sugar that failed to comply with the requirements of Kenya standards, that ought to have been required to be destroyed.
Mr Onjolo, Mr Musta and Mr Nzui are further charged with abuse of office, where they are accused of unlawfully authorising the release of the substandard brown sugar with moisture content and water insoluble matter to Flora Bakers Ltd, both exceeding the Kenya standard which was prejudicial to the public health and safety.

Breach of trust

The three are additionally charged with breach of trust, where as inspection manager and officer and health officer at the port unlawfully authorised the release of the substandard sugar to the Flora Bakers Ltd in breach of trust ,affecting the standard of health of the public.

Mr Onjolo and Mr Musta are further accused of entering into an agreement permitting release of substandard goods into the country.

The prosecution said the suspects entered into agreement with Air Menzies International to permit the release of the cargo into the country, which failed to comply with the Kenyan standard.

Mr Nzui is further charged that as a health officer, he willfully disobeyed statutory duty by failing to ensure full compliance of Section 30(11) of the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act by releasing the goods before obtaining a certificate of the results of the analysis of the samples taken from the said bags of sugar from the Government Chemist.

The suspects denied the charges levelled against them when they appeared before Mombasa Resident Magistrate Christine Ogweno.

The prosecution said the suspects committed the offence Between June 28 and July 11 in Mombasa.

The magistrate meanwhile issued warrant of arrest against Hassan Abdi Mohamed and Abdulahi Abdi Mohamed who are the directors of Flora Bakers Ltd after failing to appear in court to take plea.