Ethanol from Tanzania destroyed on order by court

The multi-agency team comprising senior police officers, National Environment Management Authority (Nema) and public health officials destroying the ethanol. [Renson Mnyamwezi, Standard]

About 45,000 litres of ethanol were on Wednesday destroyed by a multi-agency team following a court order.

The inflammable liquid was forfeited to the State at the Voi Law Courts after the conclusion of a case involving a Tanzanian who was arrested with it in Mwatate town in 2016.

The Tanzania truck’s driver Zachayo Amri Mrope was fined Sh1.1 million for being in possession of restricted goods contrary to section 200 (d) (2) of the East Africa Management Act, 2004.

The 180 drums of 250 litres each was impounded along the Holili-Taveta-Mwatate road linking Kenya and Tanzania.

Senior officials of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations who had been handling the case said the accused paid the fine and was released.

The multi-agency team comprising senior police officers, National Environment Management Authority (Nema) and public health officials supervised the destruction yesterday at Mgeno near the National Youth Service Camp in Mwatate sub-county.

Area Officer Commanding Police Division Monica Kimani, Nema Inspector Bonface Mutinda and Mwatate Sub-County Public Health Officer Ayub Mwangura were present.

The team said the Voi Law Courts had ordered them to destroy the forfeited liquid.

In her ruling on June 28, last year, Voi Senior Principal Magistrate E. G. Nderitu ordered the multi-agency team to dispose of the inflammable liquid impounded by the police in 2016.

Mrope was charged that on November 20, 2016, along the Taveta-Mwatate-Voi road within Taita-Taveta County, with others not before court, were found in possession of ethanal.

He faced an alternative charge of being in possession of uncustomed goods contrary to section 200 (d) of the East Africa Management Act 2004.

Speaking after the destruction, Ms Kimani said the seized ethanol was from Tanzania.