A senior Garissa administrator was charged on Friday with stealing relief food for hungry and needy families in Hulugho border town.
Sangailu assistant county commissioner Looro Achumi was charged alongside Ibrahim Ali Hilow before a Garissa magistrate's court with theft of 400 50kg bags of maize worth Sh192,000.
They denied the charges. They were released on Sh500,000 bond with a surety of a similar amount or Sh300,000 bail.
The charge sheet said the administrator signed documents indicating that the consignment from the inland depot had been distributed to vulnerable families in Hulugho while it was still in Garissa Township.
Achumi was also charged with abuse of office and Hilow with handling 39 stolen bags of rice. He was charged alongside others not before the court.
The consignment was seized in Garissa’s Iqa while it was being repacked from GOK bags.
Chief magistrate Cosmas Maundu set the pretrial hearing for October 1.
Achumi wanted the hearing scheduled after 14 days so the prosecution could supply them with all witness statements.
The prosecution opposed the delay, saying the food exhibit is highly perishable and called for a speedy trial so the food can be distributed swiftly.
Theft of relief food has been common and officers entrusted with distribution have been implicated in other cases.
Last month, Majority leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale issued a warning to government officials against hoarding or diverting food or water meant for needy people.
Last year, Ijara deputy county commissioner Julius Too was charged at the same court with misappropriation of relief food meant for hunger-stricken families.
Edited by R.Wamochie
