This archive report was first published on 2 September 2019.
Published on September 2, 2019, an investigation by The Standard revealed a multi-billion shilling syndicate involving the illegal assembly of Isuzu trucks in Kenya.
Abubakar Said Abubakar and Ahmed Saled Al Amry, two foreigners, have been charged with the irregular importation of spare parts from Hong Kong, where they had been condemned. The parts were then used to assemble at least 5,000 trucks, which is a significant economic loss for the country.
According to prosecutors, the suspects imported six chassis and tens of truck engines on July 21, which they had bought as scrap. However, investigators believe that the parts were purchased as scrap metal and then declared as a Mitsubishi canter truck, contrary to what was found after verification.
Mr. Abubakar and Mr. Amry denied the charges before Mombasa Chief Magistrate Edna Nyaloti and were released on Sh300,000 cash bail each.
The case has sparked a purge on rogue officials at the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), who have enabled the fraud. Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i had previously acknowledged that the rot in the institution was enabling various fraudulent activities, including multiple registration plates for different vehicles.
