Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero’s son has been charged with storage of petroleum products that do not meet the requisite Kenya standards set by Kenya Bureau of Standards.
Ronald Odhiambo Kidero is accused of storing petroleum products namely diesel and a motor vehicle gasoline in two petroleum storage tanks to wit 14,000 and 28,000 litres respectively, all of which were found to be substandard products which could not meet the requisite of KEBS specifications.
The accused is alleged to have committed the offense on 3rd August 2018 at Ridgeways shell petrol station along Kiambu road in Nairobi jointly with others not before court.
He pleaded not guilty before Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi.
The prosecution did not object to his release on bail but brought into the attention of the court that the fuel in question has already been sold to unsuspecting motorists.
The DPP also wants Vivo Energy Kenya directors to appear before the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) for investigations on the said fuel.
Lawyers representing Vivo however insisted that the fuel they supply is of good quality and they have taken samples of it for investigations.
It was their submissions that detectives cannot summon Vivo directors. ”It is only the Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) who can do so as the regulators of fuel supplied in the country,” the lawyers added.
The advocates urged the court to allow them engage the commission to handle the matter.
The businessman was released on a Sh 100,000 cash bail. The case will be mentioned on 23rd August and will be heard on 4th December 2018.
A day ago, his father Kidero, spent a night at the EACC custody before being presented before an anti-corruption court on Thursday and faced charges of fraud and abuse of office.
Kidero is charged alongside former Nairobi County Treasury boss Maurice Okere and seven others.
They are alleged to have conspired to commit corruption by authorizing payments to various companies for services not rendered.
Kidero was released on a cash bail of Sh 2 million.
