‘Be cautious, ‘ Kenyans warned over vendors selling sand as wheat flour.

A shopkeeper in Bangale, Tana River County, was on Saturday arrested for selling counterfeit products to unsuspecting victims.

According to a police report, the shopkeeper, aged 40 years, was accused of packaging sand in branded packets and selling it as wheat flour.The incident unfolded when the suspect sold seven bales of a branded baking floor worth Ksh11,900 to an unsuspecting retailer.

Upon reaching his shop, the retailer realised that he was conned after feeling the texture of the packets was quite rough.He opened one of them only to find sand instead of wheat flour. Aggrieved by the situation, the retailer reported the matter to Madogo Police Station and officers were dispatched to a rented house within the Adere area, where the suspect was caught packaging sand in the branded packets.

Police took the suspects into custody alongside a male assistant, aged 38 years. A total of 240 packets in 1-KG quantities were further recovered.

“Suspects were arrested awaiting to be arraigned in court,” read part of the police report.

However, the incident comes in the wake of the government issuing warnings over the safety of products sold to the public.

In a letter dated November 6, the Directorate of Veterinary Services raised concerns over chicken meat sold in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), stating that most of the meat sold was not inspected by health officials.

Obadiah Njagi, the institution’s director, advised Kenyans to be cautious of the outlets, which pose a huge risk to their health.

“This meat is sourced mainly from the broiler chicken farmers, who slaughter the chicken in their backyard and transport the meat to the hotels,” Njagi stated in a letter addressed to the county directors.

“This is contrary to Meat Control Act Cap 356 of the Laws of Kenya which states that food animals should only be slaughtered in licensed slaughterhouses under the supervision of an inspecting officer.”

Article By Suzy Nyongesa.