EACC probes sale of seized illegal ethanol

Eight containers of Ethanol at MICD Kibarani in Mombasa County on Tuesday 3rd July 2018. [Photo:Kelvin Karani/Standard]

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has launched investigations to establish how ethanol meant for destruction in 2016 was sneaked away for auction in the open market.

EACC officials on Tuesday found eight containers (right) with ethanol valued at Sh40 million at a yard in Kibarani, Mombasa County. They claimed four containers had already been auctioned on Monday.

Speaking at the yard, EACC’s Mombasa County Deputy Director Sarat Ali said the ethanol was not destroyed in 2016 after a prohibiting order came from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs).

“That is one of the issues we are trying to investigate and understand the genesis of the order that stopped the destruction which was already started by President Uhuru Kenyatta,” said Ali.

The ethanol in question was part of the 64 containers worth Sh288 million that EACC by then stated had been imported by unlicensed excise manufacturers.

In 2016, the ethanol and contraband sugar worth Sh56 million had been impounded and EACC officials said they were investigating 11 companies and 33 individuals in connection to simultaneous smuggling of illegal goods through country's porous borders.

During the destruction, President Kenyatta presided over the destruction, but there was an order stopping the destruction of ethanol over claims that it would affect aquatic plants and animals.