The National Cereals and Produce Board has suspended Joseph Kimote from his position as Managing Director and appointed Samuel Karogo to serve in an acting capacity.
The board’s chairman Samuel Ragwa confirmed that the decision to suspend the MD and other officials who were involved in the scam was made today.
“Work must continue and that is why we made the decision. So we have replaced John Kimote with Samuel Karogo who was the General Finance manager as the acting MD,” he said.
This comes after Kimote, along with Corporate Secretary John Kiplangat Ngetich and General Marketing Manager John Matiri, were arrested on Wednesday following approval of charges by the Director of Public Prosecution.
Detectives, acting under the directive of the DPP, swiftly arrested the officials for their alleged involvement in a fertilizer fraud case that has also led to an impeachment motion against Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi.
In March, the Ministry of Agriculture advised farmers who had purchased counterfeit fertilizer to stop its use immediately and seek guidance from NCPB facilities.
The Ministry of Agriculture directed NCPB to recall all substandard fertilizers distributed to farmers as part of an expanding investigation into the matter.