The Drug Enforcement Commission has expressed concern over the high incidents of fraud especially in the commodity sector, noting the latest case in which unscrupulous business persons tried to defraud the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) of a colossal amount of maize, stating that if successful, the fraudulent schemes could have affected the country’s food security.
DEC Public Relations Officer Hussein Khan reveals that the Commission through its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit has arrested a businesswoman for attempting to defraud the FRA of 751 metric tonnes of maize valued at K3, 004,000.
Particulars of the matter are that Bertha Njamba aged 39 in her capacity as a Director/Shareholder in Imaber General Trading Limited jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown on dates unknown but between 1st March and 31st December, 2022 fraudulently attempted to obtain 751 metric tonnes of maize valued at K3, 004, 000 from the FRA Mbala Depot by stating that the FRA had issued the maize to several clients without the authority of Imaber General Trading.
However investigations revealed that Imaber General Trading had received money from the said clients for the purchase of the maize and had authorised the release of the maize by the FRA.
The Commission has charged Bertha Njamba for Attempting to Obtain Goods by False Pretences and for Obtaining Money by False Pretences.
The Commission has since frozen the Imaber General Trading bank account with a balance of K70, 000 while Ms. Njamba is out on bond and will appear in court soon.
