KRA has denied allegations that unscrupulous businesses hid behind the importation of duty-free sugar to bring narcotics into the country.
In a statement from the Commissioner, Customs and Border Control, KRA says that the report appearing in the Daily Nation on Thursday, July 5, 2018, headlined: ‘Firms hid behind sugar law to import drugs’ was distorted and inaccurate.
According to KRA, the report was allegedly distorted from the one the tax collector tabled to the Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Agriculture on Tuesday, July 3, 2018, in the National Assembly.
“KRA notes with disappointment, the erroneous publication of a media article arising from a presentation tabled,” The statement reads.
During the presentation to the Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Agriculture, KRA Commissioner General, John Njiraini was clear on the period when the drugs allegedly entered the country.
KRA says this was in July 2016 and not within a duty-free window.
“Further, we wish to confirm the context within which this matter was addressed. The Commissioner General alluded to the narcotic haul in response to a specific query raised by the Parliamentary Committee and relating to information on Mshale Commodities Ltd,” the statement adds.
KRA says according to their records, there is evidence confirming the existence of Mshale Commodities Uganda Limited and Mshale Commodities Mombasa Limited.
It adds, “Mshale Commodities Mombasa Ltd is a registered entity in Kenya and holds a valid Personal Identification Number (PIN) in our database. The firm has no current legal encumbrances or caveats that would restrict its operations.”
On the other hand, according to the statement, Mshale Commodities Uganda Limited is not locally registered thus not within KRA’s ambit. KRA says Mshale Commodities Uganda faces an operating caveat in Kenya due to an ongoing criminal court case.
“It is instructive to note that in July 2016, Mshale Commodities Uganda Limited, imported four 20 feet containers with a declaration of sugar in transit to Uganda. In a routine inspection, one of the containers in transit to Uganda was found loaded with narcotic substances. A verification exercise was duly conducted by Government agencies led by Anti-Narcotics Police Unit leading to the discovery of four unsealed polypropylene bags cleverly concealed within the bags of sugar. The four bags yielded 90 blocks of the item. Marks on the blocks of the substance read; “Lacoste”.
The statement says that the 90 blocks suspected to be narcotics were marked as exhibits and packed in evidence bags and detained by the Anti-Narcotics Police Unit.
It adds that all the four containers were secured and sealed and remain under the custody of the OCS Kilindini Port Police and the matter is still being handled by the relevant government agencies.
The statement ends, “This clearly confirms that there were no narcotic shipments to Kenya during the duty-free window as alleged. Indeed, KRA takes great exception to such alarming and sensational reporting and calls for eternal media vigilance and verification of such crucial details.”
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