- An Eldoret court released five suspects linked to 4,000 bags of suspected counterfeit fertilizer worth over KSh24 million as investigations continue.
- The court ordered fertilizer samples sent to the Government Chemist for analysis and directed police to release a seized vehicle.
- Investigators are pursuing a wider crackdown into an alleged counterfeit fertilizer network operating across the North Rift region.
An Eldoret court has released five suspects linked to the seizure of 4,000 bags of suspected counterfeit fertilizer. The consignment is worth more than Ksh 24 million. However, investigations into the alleged illegal operation continue.
Court orders release
Chief Magistrate Peter Ndwiga ordered the unconditional release of the five suspects when they appeared in court for the mention of the case. He said investigations should proceed before any further action is taken.
The court also directed investigators to submit samples of the seized fertilizer to the Government Chemist for analysis. This is meant to establish whether the products are counterfeit as alleged.
In addition, the magistrate ordered the police to release a vehicle confiscated from the first suspect during the operation, without imposing any conditions.
Who the suspects are
The five suspects were arrested last month during a raid in the Kabenes area of Soy Sub-county.
According to court documents, the first suspect owns the compound where detectives believe expired fertilizer was being repackaged. Investigators say the repackaged fertilizer was then distributed to farmers across the North Rift region. The operation followed information received from members of the public.
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Detectives working alongside the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Headquarters Operations Action Team carried out the raid. They recovered thousands of bags of fertilizer suspected to have been repackaged as part of an organised criminal network.
Wider crackdown in the region
This development comes barely two weeks after another operation in neighbouring Moiben Sub-county. That operation led to the recovery of 624 bags of suspected counterfeit fertilizer. Four suspects linked to that consignment escaped and remain at large.
Investigators later extended the operation to the Ziwa Sirikwa area. There, they recovered an additional 64 bags of dapple fertilizer branded Elgon Kenya and 10 bags of Mavuno fertilizer, each weighing 50 kilograms. This brought the total haul in that operation to 624 bags.
Authorities maintain that investigations are ongoing. They are working to establish the source of the fertilizer and identify other individuals who may have been involved in the alleged distribution network.
By Jonathan Mwinzi
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