Three arrested as cops recover 739 bags of subsidised fertiliser headed for Uganda

Three suspects were on Monday night arrested and 739 bags of government-subsidised fertilizer were recovered from a store where they had been stored ahead of planned shipment to Uganda.

It is estimated the product is valued at Sh1.8 million as per government subsidised fertiliser price, officials said.

Police said the suspects were involved in the fraudulent acquisition of government-subsidised fertiliser from various National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots and selling it to Uganda through the Suam border point.

The suspects are being investigated over claims of fraudulent sale of the government fertiliser.

A team of detectives raided a store at Matisi market along Kitale -Endebbes road and seized the bags of fertiliser that had been brought there ahead of planned shipment out of the country.

Also recovered were delivery notes from some NCPB depots across the country.

The exhibits were taken to NCPB Kitale depot for safe custody and suspects were booked at Kitale police pending further investigation, police said.

Investigators say they had intelligence the group had been buying the fertiliser from the depots and later sold the same in Uganda. This prompted the raid. A hunt for more suspects in the scheme is ongoing, police said.

This comes in the wake of the ongoing probe into the supply of fake fertiliser in the country.

Police said they had summoned and grilled all those bearing responsibility for the acquisition and supply of the fertiliser.

The Ministry of Agriculture said they had completed the testing on all fertilisers being distributed under the subsidy programme.

A statement said all fertilisers being distributed meet the required quality requirements except those manufactured by some few companies which did not meet all required test parameters.

Following the release of test results by KeBS, the statement added, that the government has taken decisive action to safeguard the agricultural sector and farmers.

The Ministry of Agriculture has in the meantime directed NCPB to replace all the substandard fertilisers that were distributed to farmers as it escalates the probe into the alleged fake fertiliser fiasco

Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh confirmed plans for thorough scrutiny of the entire fertiliser supply chain warning of tough legal action against those found culpable.

“We are going to replace the fertiliser with the right fertiliser because it is under investigation for the farmers who have used the fertilisers already we have also analysed the missing component in those fertilisers which shall be addressed by top dressing fertilisers,”Ronoh said.

BY THE STAR