Maize theft syndicate: Police trail suspects defrauding farmers in Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia

An active maize theft syndicate that is defrauding farmers in Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia counties thousands of harvested maize worth millions of shillings is on the loose.

This is despite several complaints from maize farmers in the two agricultural rich counties to the police and area Chiefs.

When two men appeared at Jamin Mulera's home in Moi's Bridge on Friday, last week, seeking to buy a total of 130 bags worth Ksh.660,000, the 62-year-old maize farmer thought his year-long hard work on his farm had finally paid off.

“Tarehe kumi na tatu watu walikuja hapa wanataka mahindi. Sisi tukakubaliana na hao wachukue mahindi. Ikawa wapeleke pesa kwa account…mimi kupata message kutoka kwa benki ya kwamba pesa zimeingia kwa account, mimi nikapeana mahindi,” said Mr. Mulera.

Unknown to Mulera, the two indiuviduals, one who appeared to be of Somali nationality and another a known broker based in Bungoma, were members of a maize theft syndicate that has conned dozens of farmers in Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia counties.

“Kumbe walilipa pesa kutumia cheque iliyokuwa drawn kwa closed account. Jumatatu nilipoenda kutoa pesa kwa hiyo account, message ikakuja kwa simu yangu ikisema hakuna pesa. I had to go to KCB to find out what happened to my money, kumbe it was a forged cheque. So I don't have the maize and I don’t have the money,” added Mr. Mulera.

Luckily for him, he managed to capture the truck’s registration number, which was used to search the owner and particulars of the lorry.

According to the NTSA TIMS Identifier, the owners of the KBW 098D 2010 white Isuzu lorry have been identified as Josephat Kariuki Mwaura and Kapematt Capital Limited.

“Mimi ndio nililipa hizo pesa kuweka maindi yangu kwa lori ile ambayo walikuja nayo, na mwenye lori alipatikana…niko na documents kuonyesha lori ilikuwa ya mtu Fulani kutoka hapa Moi's Bridge,” stated Mr. Mulera.

Wilberforce Wekesa, a resident at Moi's Bridge, said: “Tuliripoti kwa polisi lakini hatujaridhika kwa maana hawajatusaidia kitu chochote.”

Moi's Bridge Chief Wilson Simba on his part stated: “Yule broker aliyewaleta pia tunamjua ...ni sasa idara ya polisi ikamate wahalifu hao kwa sababu tayari ripoti imewekwa huko. Hao watu waweze kushikwa ili wamrudishie mkulima wetu mali yake.”

Mr. Mulera is not the only victim who has fallen prey to the fraudsters.

Despite the numerous complaints from residents of Moi's Bridge, no arrests have been made so far as Mr. Mulera and other farmers prepare for another costly planting season, with nothing to show from the previous season.