On Monday night, authorities apprehended three suspects and retrieved 739 bags of government-subsidised fertiliser from a storage facility intended for shipment to Uganda. The product, valued at KES 1.8 million based on subsidised prices, had been acquired fraudulently from various National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots.
The individuals are under investigation for allegedly selling the subsidised fertiliser unlawfully, with detectives seizing the fertilisers and delivery documents from multiple NCPB depots across the nation at a store in Matisi market along the Kitale-Endebbes road.
The seized items were transported to the NCPB Kitale depot for secure storage, while the suspects were detained at Kitale police station awaiting further inquiry, according to authorities. Investigators had received information indicating that the group had been purchasing fertiliser from depots and then reselling it in Uganda, prompting the raid.
Police are currently pursuing additional suspects involved in the scheme. This development follows an ongoing investigation into the distribution of counterfeit fertiliser within the country. 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.
