- The two denied the offences and were granted a bond of Sh 100,000 with alternative cash bail of Sh 30,000.
- They were intercepted following intelligence received by a multi-agency team.
Image: GEORGE OWITI
Two people were arraigned in a court in Taveta on Monday and charged with smuggling assorted scrap motor vehicle batteries weighing 15 tonnes.
Stephen Muteti and Godson Nzuki were arrested along Voi-Taveta road with the batteries estimated to be worth Sh750,000.
They were intercepted following intelligence received by a multi-agency team. The suspects entered the country through porous borders.
The two were jointly charged before Taveta Principal Magistrate David Munyao Ndungi.
They denied the offences and were granted a bond of Sh 100,000 with alternative cash bail of Sh 30,000.
Separately, Daniel Ochieng was arrested in the Salaita area along Taveta-Voi Road while in possession of 25 bags each containing 50 kilogrammes of sugar branded TPC Limited with a dutiable value of Sh 114,380.
He denied the charges and was granted a bond of Sh500,000 with alternative cash bail of Sh 200,000.
Both cases will be mentioned on October 27, 2023.
Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) said in collaboration with other government agencies they are committed to the fight against illicit trade.
The authority has deployed robust techniques to ensure that it actively conducts intelligence surveillance, investigations and prosecution of unscrupulous traders.
The arraignment came barely two weeks after police and Kenya Revenue Authority officials arrested truck drivers ferrying scrap metal to Tanzania using fake National Environment Management Authority licenses.
The customs officials intercepted the trucks ferrying scrap batteries to Tanzania using the Taveta border point.
Confirming the arrest, Scrap Metal Council chairperson Francis Mugo said upon inspection, it was established that the Nema license the driver was using was fake.
“One of the trucks was escorted by KRA officials to the Customs offices at Taveta where it is being held. We are investigating how the owner managed to get the Nema license before he is arraigned in court,” Mugo said.
The other truck is being processed awaiting the verification of documents provided by the driver before action is taken.
Nema Director General Mamo Mamo said his officers were investigating the authenticity of the license provided by the traders.
“My officers are in the process of investigating the validity of the documents after which action will be taken,” Mamo said.