Two assistant chiefs from Fafi subcounty in Garissa on Friday testified in a trial about theft of relief food.
Ahmed Ore Hure, the clerk to the deputy county commissioner, and businessman Abdi Buthul Shafat are charged with theft and receiving stolen goods in July.
Hure is charged with stealing 29, 50kg bags of relief rice valued at Sh116,000; Shafat is charged with stealing and retaining eight bags of rice valued at Sh32,000.
Both have pleaded not guilty before senior magistrate Cosmas Maundu. They are out on Sh100,000 bail each.
Assistant chief Aden Yare Sugow from Buru East told Maundu he collected his consignment at Bura East Primary School where the relief food were stored.
Hours later he received a call from the Bura police station summoning him to record a statement about the disappearance of 29 bags of relief food.
Cross-examined by prosecutor Allan Magero, he told the court he received his consignment for distribution and had no knowledge of the stolen relief food.
Jambele sublocation assistant chief Abdirahman Ahmed said when he arrived at Bura East Primary School to collect his assignment, he met rowdy youths demanding a share of the relief food.
He cooled them down and took his consignment.
George Gona, officer in charge of crime at the Bura East police station, said he was called by Hure, the clerk, who alleged relief food had been stolen.
Gona told the court the clerk took him around the store where he saw some rice had been poured outside a broken window. He went back with the clerk to the police station to record a statement.
Gona told the court that during integration they discovered the story was not adding up and decided to arrest him and the watchman.
The charge sheet against Hure says that on several dates between July 16 and 26 at Bura Primary School, he stole 29 bags of relief food that came into his possession by virtue of his employment.
The charge sheet also says Shafat stole, received and retained eight bags of rice, having reason to believe they were stolen.
The hearing continues on 24th November.
(Edited by V. Graham)
