Three suspects arrested with 2000 bags of contraband sugar from Brazil in Nairobi’s Eastleigh estate will remain in custody until tomorrow.
This comes after the police produced Dahir Ahmed Hassan, Mohamed Dahir Ahmed, Ahmed Sheikh Mohamed before a Nairobi court seeking more time (21days) to detain them in order to complete investigations.
Senior Principal Magistrate Martha Mutuku directed that the suspects be presented before her on 7th June to direct when she will be able to deliver the ruling on their further incarceration.
In their application to detain the three, the police said they arrested the respondents on 5th June 2018 with the sugar dimmed unfit for human consumption in Eastleigh section 3 and booked them at Shauri Moyo police station.
“During their arrest the respondents were found repackaging 1474 bags of Brazilian raw sugar indicated not fit for direct human consumption into local sugar companies packaging bags,” the court heard.
According to the police, the recovered sugar is suspected to be extremely harmful to human health.
The court further heard that the court that investigations are expected to be carried out by different agencies including counterfeit agency, KRA, Kenya Ports Authority, KEBs, government chemist and office of the Director of public prosecutions.
“These agencies require time to sample and conduct analysis of the sugar found in possession of the suspects,” said the investigating officer.
The police added that it is necessary to carry out investigation to the suspected markets supplied with the sugar all over the country of which require a lot of time.
The court further heard that the identification documents produced by the respondents are suspected not to be genuine and therefore a search on the same at the National Registration bureau is needful.
They claimed the respondents are at flight risk since their identities are not yet confirmed.
In addition, the police said releasing the three on bond pending investigations may jeopardize the ongoing probe since there is a likelihood of them assisting and facilitating removal of the fake sugar from the stores that they have supplied.
“This matter is of public interest since it touches on the health of all Kenyans who consume sugar,” the investigating officer said.
