Four people are being held after they were found repackaging government’s subsidized maize flour in Kimilili, Bungoma.
Police say the suspects were caught as they went about their business, emptying the floor from government labeled packages and filling up plastic bags at a local church. They said the aim was to sell the flour at a higher price.
The suspects, Mary Mugo, Peter Waweru, Lucy Njoki and Ken Mwangi are all Jazz supermarket workers in Kimilili town.
The proprietor of the supermarket Mr. Jackson Mugo escaped and is still at large.
Over 177 bales of the subsidized flour were found at the scene according to Kimilili sub-county Commissioner Reuben Loyotoman.
The commissioner said that the flour had been transported using vans and was to be resold at an inflated price of Sh.75 per half-kilo at shops within the town.
The subsidized flour is supposed to cost Sh45 or less according to the government. County officials thanked residents for tipping off the police about the illegal business activity leading to the arrest of the four suspects.
Mr. Loyotoman warned business owners against such criminal activities, adding that those caught will face the full might of the law. Investigation to hunt down others engaging in similar activities was immediately launched by area police commissioner.
The four suspects will be arraigned in court once the investigation is complete.
Shortage of flour in the country has been caused by the recent drought, and the government imported the subsidized maize flour to contain the situation.