President Ruto maintains ‘it is jail, deportation or heaven’ threat as one party withdraws from Mumias Sugar case

President William Ruto has reiterated his chilling three-step prescription for the court cases between creditors and the Mumias Sugar Company; you either withdraw the court cases or face jail, deportation or a journey to heaven.

Speaking on Wednesday, President Ruto said this is not a threat but how it will be.

And as the President repeated his chilling message one of the firms challenging the leasing of Mumias sugar to Uganda-based miller Sarrai Group has filed a notice at the Court of Appeal seeking to withdraw the case.

In what appears to be a retreat occasioned by President Ruto's controversial triple threat of jail, deportation or heaven; one of the parties to the Mumias Sugar saga has picked the only other option available which is to withdraw from the legal cases against Mumias.

Wednesday evening, Dubai-based Vartox Limited, through its legal firm Anjarwalla and Khanna LLP located in Westlands, Nairobi, filed a notice of withdrawal of a case at the Court of Appeal that was against the leasing of the firm to the Uganda-based Sarrai Group.

In the notice of withdrawal, it notes, “take notice that Vartox Resources In, the 3rd respondent in these proceedings, hereby withdraws its application dated 25th December 2022.”

The company's owner, tycoon Sarbjit Singh Rai, is entangled in a legal tussle with his billionaire brother Jaswant Rai, who owns West Kenya Sugar, over the 20-year lease granted to Sarrai and the manner in which Mumias sugar was handed to him.

As the first major party made to withdraw from the Mumias court battle, President Ruto who is still on a tour of Western Kenya dismissed calls to have him withdraw his threats to parties at the top of the Mumias cases.

"Wale watu wanazungukana na ma media sijui na nani kuissue press conference you're wasting your time. Mambo ya corruption will not be part of this country anymore. We are sick and tired, Kenyans are sick and tired, politicians who defend corruption should be ashamed of themselves, those giving defence to matters that is destroying our nation..,” said Ruto.

The president yet again reiterated his three-point warning.

"Mimi nataka niwaambie wezi wote na wakora na watangazia mapema na mchana… Watakoma na kama hawatakoma maneno ni tatu wahame Kenya, kama sivyo tutawapeleka jela ama kama wako na option ya tatu waende mbinguni...,” said the Head of State.

President Ruto in a meeting with sugarcane farmers at the Kakamega State Lodge said there will be no place to hide for those corrupting the sugar sector.

"Watu wafanye biashara wale wanataka kufanya biashara, wawekezaji wawekeze katika nchi yetu tunawapenda sana wawekezaji wote tunaheshimu biashara lakini wizi na ufisadi hapana, No! Hatuezi peana kampuni ya wananchi kwa mapeni. Nyinyi mnataka hii Mumias na Nzoia ipotee vile Pan Paper ilipotea?” posed Ruto.

The president said his administration will not tolerate politicians who use their positions to thrive corruption.

The Head of State also launched development projects in Likuyani and Navakholo constituencies in Kakamega County.