Over 1,000 litres of adulterated fuel recovered in Salgaa, Nakuru County

Police have arrested 46 suspects in Salgaa, Nakuru County connection to sale of udulterated fuel (Photo: Courtesy)

Nakuru, Kenya: Police officers in Rongai, Nakuru are holding 46 suspects linked to sale of adulterated fuel at Salgaa Trading Centre along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway.

The 46 were arrested in a crackdown by Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) assisted by a contingent of police officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation and General Service Unit on Monday night.

The officers raided three unlicensed petroleum depots in Salgaa and arrested the 46.

Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) in a statement said approximately 1, 000 litres of contaminated fuel stored in jerry cans and drums were recovered.

“The raids conducted in collaboration with officers drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and General Service Unit (GSU) recovered 1, 000 litres of contaminated petroleum fuel stored in jerry cans and drums,” read a statement by ERC.

The suspects according to the statement by ERC will be charged in court with various offences.

The offences include construction of petroleum storage facility without a permit, operating a petroleum storage facility without a license, being in possession of adulterated motor vehicle fuel and being in possession of export bound motor fuels.

ERC said the three sites will be demolished and called on members of the public to continue being vigilant and to immediately report instances of malpractice and fuel adulteration activities to the commission.

“In accordance with provisions of the Energy Act 2006, the three sites will be demolished,” read the press release.

Reacting to the news area Member of County Assembly Daniel Mutai said the arrest and detention of the 46 was not in order as most of those arrested are not involved in the sale of adulterated fuel.

He claimed that a pastor and a shop attendant were among people arrested during the swoop as it happened before closure of businesses.

The MCA said he is not against the crackdown and raids on illegal petroleum sites but insisted that investigations should be done to avoid arrest of innocent people.