Monday, January 2, 2012

100 bags of coffee beans stolen from Kigumo factory



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Farmers in Kigumo in Murang’a county are counting their losses after coffee worth more than Sh10 million was stolen from one of the factories. More than 100 bags of coffee beans were stolen early on Saturday morning at Kariara coffee factory in what is believed to be an inside job. Two watchmen who were guarding the factory were tied with ropes and the thieves loaded the coffee bags into a waiting lorry and drove off.
The police report states that the lorry passed through Marumi-Kariua road and was escorted by a private vehicle. Kigumo police boss Mohammed Saidi said they were informed two hours later and accused the management and farmers of failing to report the theft in time to catch the suspects.
Saidi said they suspect the management of the factory was involved in the theft. He also wondered why two other watchmen who managed to escape did not notify the police. All four watchmen have been arrested and are being held at Kigumo police station. At the same time journalist who had gone to cover the incident got a rude shock when the factory management officers declined to talk to them and also forced them to clear from the premises further raising suspicion that they could be involved in the racket.
Following the rampant incidents area district commissioner Albanus Ndiso has issued stern warning to the cartels adding that the government will do everything under it reach to smash the cartel. “I want to assure the farmers that the government will not relent until the suspects are arrested and further theft cases averted, “said the angry administrator.
The incident comes shortly after another incident in the neighboring Kahuro district where coffee worth Sh5.5 million stolen from Karichiungu Coffee factory. There had been two other botched attempts at factories in Kangema and Kahuro where the thugs failed to break in after they were discovered by night guards who alerted the police.
The escalating coffee theft racket has been blamed on greedy private millers and coffee cooperative managers, unscrupulous agents and farmers as well as the Coffee Board of Kenya. Most coffee farmers said CBK was to blame for giving out transport, marketing and milling licenses without vetting applicants and accused millers of buying stolen coffee thus encouraging the vice. They also said the police were slow in responding to alarms raised by farmers.
At the same time the rampant theft incidents has forced hundreds of farmers to spend cold nights during this Christmas and new year festivities in their coffee factories guarding their prized commodity. A spot check by the Star in various coffee factories and societies in Kigumo, Kandara and Kiharu constituencies farmers who were in groups of 10 kept vigilant following rumours that thugs could attack any time during the festivities.
Both Kenya police officers and their administration counterparts had also been deployed in major roads in an attempt to nab the suspects. The leaders who included MPs Elias Mbau from Maragua, Clement Wambugu (Mathioya), Muturi Mwangi (Kiharu) and Murang’a County KANU chairman Antony Kamutu said the government should be blamed for the rampant theft for allowing cartels to run the sector. Led by Kamutu the leaders called upon the government to own up the theft incidents and compensate the farmers who their coffee has been stolen and was not recovered.

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