(NDIMA/IFEX) – Patrick Mayoyo, Mombasa correspondent for “The Nation” newspaper, reports having received threats from people suspected to be involved in a story he had written about corrupt practices in the government customs department. Mayoyo, whose reports on the affair have led to widespread investigations in which senior customs officers and clearing and forwarding agents […]
(NDIMA/IFEX) – Patrick Mayoyo, Mombasa correspondent for “The Nation”
newspaper, reports having received threats from people suspected to be
involved in a story he had written about corrupt practices in the government
customs department.
Mayoyo, whose reports on the affair have led to widespread investigations in
which senior customs officers and clearing and forwarding agents have been
arrested, made a statement to the Central Police Station on 9 July 1998,
accompanied by “The Nation” Mombasa bureau chief Catherine Gicheru.
The threats against Mayoyo began on 8 July, three days after he broke the
story. Two people unknown to Mayoyo started trailing him on the same day.
Later, another man warned him that he should be careful since his reports
had raised the hackles of high-ranking entrepreneurs in the clearing and
forwarding business as well as the customs department.
Acting on the information contained in the news reports, the Customs
Department announced high-level investigations into the affair. The racket
involves the fraudulent cancellation of security bonds for transit goods
which are later dumped into the local market.
On 7 July, police officers from the anti-corruption unit moved in and
arrested officers at the Customs Longroom. The officers carted away
documents linked to the scandal and have since arrested several officials
linked to the cancellation of the bonds. Some of those arrested were
scheduled to appear in court on 10 July.
Directors of several clearing and forwarding companies linked to the scandal
are reported to have gone into hiding following the expose.
