- A KRA security guard faces charges over the disappearance of seized cigarettes from a warehouse.
- His arrest at JKIA followed an attempt to leave the country for Qatar.
- A separate ethanol seizure in Kabarnet has resulted in charges against another suspect.
A security guard attached to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) in Eldoret has been charged with breaking into a KRA warehouse and stealing 1,860,520 sticks of uncustomed Supermatch cigarettes. The cigarettes, valued at Ksh22,780,542, had been seized and deposited in the warehouse.
In a statement, KRA said the guard was also charged with an alternative count of negligence to prevent a felony.
He was apprehended by immigration officers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) while attempting to travel to the State of Qatar. The arrest followed the enforcement of the Departure Prohibition Order, which restricted the accused’s departure from Kenya.
The accused appeared before Eldoret Senior Principal Magistrate Maureen Kesse, where he denied the charges. He was denied bond after the prosecution opposed his release on account of being a flight risk.
If found guilty, the accused may be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years.
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In a separate matter, one suspect has been charged at Kabarnet Law Courts with being in possession of 262.5 litres of undiluted and eight litres of diluted undenatured ethanol. The undenatured ethanol has a tax implication of Ksh362,223.
The accused, jointly with another not before court, was charged with being in possession of restricted goods contrary to the East African Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA), 2004, and handling excisable goods without a licence contrary to the Excise Duty Act, Cap 472 of the Laws of Kenya.
She was charged before Magistrate Purity Koskey on October 28, 2026. She denied the charges and was released on a bond of Ksh30,000 or a cash bail of Ksh20,000. The case is scheduled for hearing on December 16, 2026.
If found guilty, the accused shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or to a fine equal to fifty percent of the dutiable value of the goods involved, or both, for counts one and two. She will further be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two million shillings, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both, for count three.
The interception marks a major milestone in KRA’s sustained efforts in not only facilitating legitimate trade but also protecting society from the consumption of harmful products.
By Fredrick Odiero
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