Man arrested for receiving fertiliser worth Ksh.10M from Gov’t, selling it for Ksh.30M in Uganda

A suspect accused of fraudulently acquiring 4,304 bags of subsidized fertilizer and later selling them at current market price on Thursday denied charges levelled against him at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.

Benjamin Mosbey Kuto, who was arrested in Moiben area of Uasin Gishu County, deceived Ministry of Agriculture officials that he owned a 1,050-acre farm thereby receiving fertiliser worth Ksh.10.7 million before immediately selling it to willing buyers in Kenya and Uganda making a profit of close to Ksh.30million.

Before Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina, Kuto denied charges of deceiving the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) that he owned the farm in Narok West, hence obtaining the bags of government of Kenya fertilizer. 

The ratio per acre is four bags, with two being for planting and two for top dressing.

According to detectives who trailed and arrested Kuto, the suspect fraudulently acquired vouchers for the fertiliser collection from 19 NCPB depots across the country.

Kuto received subsidised fertilizer from Awendo, Iten, Embu, Kiganjo, Lessos, Marigat, Mwingi Nanyuki, Nakuru, Thika Turbo, and Maua among other depots. 

Detectives say the fertiliser was received between August 2 and October 6 this year, noting that no planting or top dressing of crops was happening in this period.

Sources privy to the investigation intimated that most of the fertiliser Kuto acquired found its way to neighbouring Uganda through illegal routes to be sold at the current market price, and that the accused person made more than Ksh.30 million in profit. 

Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohamed Amin revealed that officials from the Ministry Of Agriculture will be questioned as detectives believe they turned a blind eye to the digital loophole exploited by Kuto and other unscrupulous businessmen who have made a kill out of a project meant to benefit the Kenyan farmer.