Mastermind in Sh163 Million Sugar Scandal Arrested at JKIA

Detectives arrested Chrispus Waithaka, the claimed mastermind in the theft of controversial sugar worth Sh163 million, at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Saturday night upon arrival from Dubai. 

On April 20, Waithaka was among the individuals who witnessed the breaking of customs seals on 40 containers of the condemned sugar. Security agencies had flagged the director of Assets and Cargo Limited, initiating a travel ban against him before immigration officials reported his entry into the country. The officers handed him to DCI detectives who arrested him ahead of his court appearance. 

Defending himself, the suspect availed a copy of the Sh100,000 interim bail order which he stated to have obtained from the Mombasa High Court on Friday. 

"He was in possession of a copy of an interim order for anticipatory bail of Sh100,000 granted by the High Court in Mombasa vide Criminal Miscellaneous Application number E067/2023 dated 19 May 2023," a police report read.

The Directorate has completed investigations into the sugar scandal and forwarded a case file to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP). DPP is expected to consent to charges against officials of the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). To aid the investigation into the reprobate release of the condemned sugar, Civil Service boss Felix Koskei announced the suspension of 27 officials from Kebs, KRA, National Police Service (NPS), DCI and Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA). 

In 2018, Kebs National Standards Council flagged the importation of  20,000 bags of sugar for lack of an expiry date. To date, police have seized only 14 of the total condemned bags.