National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB)Managing Director Joseph Muna Kimote and two other senior officials were on Thursday charged with sh 209million fake fertilizer scandal.

Kimote who was charged alongside John Kiplangat Ngetich (Corporate Secretary), and John Mbaya Matiri (General Marketing Manager)  denied a  charge of conspiracy to defraud farmers by selling 139,688 bags of 25 kgs valued at over sh 209 million purporting to be genuine fertilizer a fact they knew to be false.

The three were also charged with abuse of office .The prosecution opposed their release on bail saying that investigations are still ongoing where the accused persons were adversely mentioned.

“There is a likelihood of interference with the witnesses, suppressing of evidence or tampering of evidence, particularly 2,3 and 4 persons who are their subordinates in the office,” claimed the prosecution.

The prosecution requested the court issue a warrant of arrest for Josiah Kariuki with his two companies who failed to appear in court.

According to the prosecution, he has evaded arrest and switched off his phones.

“This creates an incentive for the accused person to abscond court,” the court was told

Lawyers Katwa Kigen,Danstan Omari ,Sam Nyaberi, Shadrack Wamboi are among the lawyers representing the three accused persons  objected the application.

The defence lawyers argued that the investigations are complete based on the press  release by the ODPP adding that the investigations had been ongoing for at least three months.

“Material evidence of them to abscond court must be shown by either them booking air tickets …non has been shown,” lawyer Omari Submitted

The defense further said that the three are serious gurus and public officers and have serious homes and corporate people could therefore not abscond.

The three have been released on a cash bail of Sh1 million or a bond of Sh3 million each.The case will be mentioned on May 20 for pretrial.