The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) seized contaminated sugar worth Ksh214 million at the Port of Mombasa.
According to KRA, the toxic sugar was more than 1,112 tonnes of imported household sugar packed in 46 containers.
The revenue authority explained that the 13 containers were contaminated following a mechanical hitch that led to flooding of water inside the consignment making it unfit for human consumption.
The contaminated sugar was discovered at a private container freight station, CFS Mitchell Cotts, and was allegedly imported by an individual identified as Rehema Badi, an employee of Elevon Logistics Limited.
According to documents seized by KPA and KRA, the sugar had been imported late 2023. Upon discovery of the contaminated goods, the importer received compensation from the shipper’s insurer.
Thereafter, it was agreed that the sugar would be destroyed upon the vessel’s arrival at the Port of Mombasa
KRA said part of the toxic sugar imported from Mauritius is suspected to have already been sold to the Kenyan market.
Rehema Badi Responds
Speaking to Citizen TV, Badi said she followed the legal importation process and paid all the taxes to KRA.
“Immediately then I was told by KRA that they were auctioning my sugar, so I had to look for the money from a friend and I paid Ksh.30 million to KRA for taxes,” she said.
Besides, she stated that only 13 out of the total containers were contaminated, adding that she even paid for the bad sugar.
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She demanded KRA to pay back money equivalent to the 13 containers that have been declared toxic for sale.
“But in these 46 containers, 13 of them had water, there 33 containers were clean. So, we got a letter from KRA. We followed the due process, and we got the letter. “I paid, apparently, I even paid for the bad sugar,” she said.
Badi also dismissed fears that some of the contaminated sugar is already in the Kenyan market.
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The company that imported the sugar had also made several payments to KRA including Ksh.30 million tax and an additional Ksh.6 million as inspection fee.
KRA and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) sampled the 33 remaining containers to establish their suitability to be released to the market.
A joint multi agency operation led by the DCI is ongoing to establish the whereabouts of any contaminated sugar in the Port of Mombasa or that may have been cleared into the Kenyan market.
