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MPs want Rotich, Bett probed over sugar scam

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A man picks sugar at a supermarket in Nairobi. FILE PHOTO | NMG

A parliamentary committee wants three Cabinet secretaries investigated over the importation of excess sugar and tax evasion.

The Joint Committee on Trade and Agriculture has pointed an accusing finger at Treasury secretary Henry Rotich, former Industry secretary Adan Mohamed, and former Agriculture secretary Willy Bett.

The MPs want the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI )to probe the three over importation of 1.3 million metric tonnes of sugar between May and December 2017.

“The joint committee recommends that relevant agencies should investigate them to ascertain circumstances under which excess sugar was imported into the country duty free,” the committee said in a report tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.

The team — which probed allegations that the sugar was laced with heavy metals including mercury, lead and copper — wants the DCI to probe Mr Bett to establish why he recommended a duty waiver for 14 companies.

The team said that no traces of mercury were detected in the samples collected from seized sugar and market surveillance by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs). The lawmakers also want DCI to probe Mr Mohamed, who has since been moved to the East African Community docket, to establish circumstances under which the Kebs failed to undertake adequate market surveillance to guarantee the safety and quality of the sugar.

READ: MPs claim Rotich, Bett allowed duty-free sugar imports after deadline

The three are accused of issuing a gazette notices that allowed importation of the sugar.

“Gazette notice 4536 waived duty on sugar importation whereas other requirements were to be observed as per the law including health and safety, quality specifications and standardisation by Kebs and other relevant agencies in accordance with the law,” the report states.

The MPs want all sugar that does not comply with standards, and hence is unfit for human consumption, destroyed by a multi-agency taskforce within 21 days of adoption of the report by the House.