On Monday, the owner of two companies implicated in the Kes.209 million fertilizer scandal faced charges in a Nairobi court.
Josiah Kariuki Kimani appeared before Milimani Anti-Corruption Magistrate Celesa Okore and pleaded not guilty to seven counts leveled against him by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Mr. Kimani, operating through his companies, allegedly packaged soil disguised as organic fertilizer, which was then distributed to farmers via SBL Innovate Manufacturers Limited and African Diatomite Industries Limited.
He is accused of colluding with others, not present in court, to deceive the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Nakuru region offices.
State prosecutor Evelyn Onunga informed Magistrate Okore that the businessman forged an agreement for soil enhancement and conditioning into organic fertilizer and animal supplement, presenting it as a genuine and valid document signed between his two companies and the standards agency.
Kimani also faces charges of forging a standardization mark number 14617 in the name of 51 Capital, African Diatomite K Limited, falsely representing it to be an authentic standardization mark issued by KEBS.
The accused also allegedly presented the forged standardization mark to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
The fertilizer distributor also stands accused of applying for another standardization mark number 69392 for the manufacturing of organic fertilizer that failed to meet the requirements of organic fertilizer specifications.
While denying the charges, Kimani claimed he had been authorized to add soil and animal supplements to fertilizer.
Mr Kimani appeared before the court following an order issued last week, when the Managing Director of NCPB Joseph Muna Kimote was charged alongside two others over the sale of 139,688 bags of 25kgs of fake fertilizer valued at Kes.209,532,000.
