This archive report was first published on 9 August 2019.
On August 7, 2018, a joint committee of the National Assembly investigating the sugar imports scandal retreated to the Panari Hotel to finalize their report. However, a section of MPs later claimed that the report was doctored at the last minute to exonerate some culprits.
According to Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati and Makueni's Dan Maanzo, among others, the original report recommended that Cabinet Secretaries Henry Rotich (Treasury), Adan Mohammed (EAC and former Trade), and former Agriculture CS Willy Bett be held responsible for the excess importation of sugar, failure to guarantee safety and quality of sugar, and waiver of duty, respectively.
However, the report presented to the House on Wednesday was allegedly altered to remove these recommendations, with Arati claiming that the original report was completely missing from the report presented in the House.
Arati stated, 'The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury should be held responsible for the excess importation of sugar into the country and consequent tax evasion.'
Maanzo added that the altered report was 'forgery and we will not let it go.'
On July 5, MPs had thrown out a preliminary report of the committee, terming it 'shallow and inconclusive.'
Yesterday, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi abruptly deferred debate on the new report, citing that it was presented to the House unprocedurally.
