The EACC has started grilling some of the traders listed as the top beneficiaries of Sh1.9 billion NCPB maize purchase scam.
About Sh1.9 billion was paid to at least 10 traders yet more than 3,500 farmers have not been paid at least Sh4 billion since December last year.
The anti-graft agency has camped at the NCPB's depots
in Kisumu, Bungoma, Kitale, Eldoret, Moi’s Bridge and Nakuru.
From the depots, officers have seized files on payments for maize and distribution of subsidised fertiliser.
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The government says it will ensure cartels and brokers in the scam are arrested and prosecuted.
More than 26 staff of the National Cereals and Produce Board, including senior officials, and the traders will be questioned.
Former NCPB Chief Executive Officer Newton Terer will also be questioned.
Terer resigned three weeks ago without giving details.
“I was not suspended. I just decided to resign”, he said.
Last Wednesday, however,
Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri said the manner in which Terer left office was suspect.
“I raised concerns on [this]. I didn’t find the reason why he hurriedly resigned. We would have suspended him and called for investigations,” he said.
Four of the traders were summoned on Friday and recorded statements at the EACC offices in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, before being released.
Victoria Jebet, one one of those who was questioned, insisted that they had not committed any crimes.
"We are innocent ... we will comment later," she said after a session that lasted about two hours.
On Friday, Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Abdi Hassan said investigations were going on well and that the war on graft will cover all government departments.
“We should give the government time to investigate. All those involved will be dealt with as per the law,” Hassan said.
Jackson Mue, the EACC Deputy Director in charge of the North Rift, also told the Star that investigators were going on well.
Mue said the files will be scrutinised to establish the depth of fraud in the purchase of maize and distribution of fertiliser.
“The investigations are still at an early stage but we are progressing very well,” he said at the EACC regional offices in Eldoret.
"Forensics experts are analysing the documents.
We want to know if genuine farmers were deliberately denied the opportunity to deliver maize and if there was bribery in the process, among other issues."
The EACC also wants to establish if some suppliers were paid more money for their maize than others.
Kiunjuri said the farmers will be paid by the end of next week.
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