Eastleigh traders charged over fake Kabras sugar
Three traders were Monday charged with offering for sale sub-standard sugar in Eastleigh, Nairobi worth millions of shillings.
The sugar was packaged in Kabras Sugar Company branded plastic bags.
Mr Dahir Ahmed Hassan, Mr Mohammed Dahir Ahmed and Mr Ahmed Sheikh Mohamed who were arraigned before a principal magistrate Martha Mutuku faced five counts of offering for sale sub-standard sugar and applying the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) mark contrary to the law.
The prosecution told Ms Mutuku on June 4, at the Diamond Wholesalers Stores within Eastleigh the three, jointly with others not before court were found offering for sale 922 bags of white sugar each 50kgs valued at Sh3,070,260.
The magistrate heard the sugar was packed contrary to the Kenya Standard Specification for white sugar (KSEAS) 16: 2010.
The three were also charged with offering for sale 204 bags of 50 kgs each of brown sugar valued at Sh679,000 contrary to KSEAS 749:2010.
The third count was that at the same stores they applied the Kenya Bureau Standardization mark on Kabras Sugar Brand without a permit from KeBS.
REPACKAGING BROWN SUGAR
They were also accused of repackaging the brown sugar under poor hygienic condition rendering the product unsafe thereby compromising its quality contrary to KSEAS Act 39 of 2010.
The last charge was that they were found offering for sale 648 jerricans of 20 Litres each of Premium Safari Cooking Oil valued at Sh1,555,200 contrary to the requirements of KSEAS 769:2010.
Defence counsel Samson Nyaberi sought bond for the accused, saying they have been in custody since June 6.
“The accused have been in police custody for almost ten days.
They were first arrested on June 4 and paraded in court June 6, 2018 when it was directed they be detained in police custody to assist in investigations,” Mr Nyaberi told Ms Mutuku.
The prosecution did not oppose the release of the traders on bond.
Ms Mutuku directed each of the accused to deposit a cash bail of Sh300,000 until September 3 when the case against them was listed for trial. They were also given an alternative bond of Sh2 million if they fail to raise the cash bail amount.