This archive report was first published on 21 July 2020.
On July 21, 2020, Nairobi Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi led a fact-finding tour of Humphrey Kariuki's Africa Spirits factory in Thika, as part of a Sh41 billion tax evasion case.
The court session was held to investigate claims by the defence that police tampered with the crime scene.
During the tour, the team observed that the perimeter wall and electric fence around the property were intact, except for the wires at Gate 'E', which were hanging loose.
At the main gate, there was evidence of fresh welding on two metallic shutters, while Gate 'B' appeared to have been welded recently to block entrance.
Advocates Mwangi K. M. and Cecil Miller drew the attention of the court to the anomaly, saying the damage at the gate was crucial to claims by the defence that exhibits worth millions of shillings were secretly ferried from the plant.
The team also visited the ablution block and found empty bottles, some with Africa Spirits labels, and debris.
