Governor’s Press Service
March 20, 2018
Mwingi
Charcoal Ban: Kitui court fines Six drivers
SIX Charcoal dealers were
today fined a total of Sh. 300,000 by a Kitui Court for transporting charcoal
in defiance of an existing ban.
It is the first time
that charcoal transporters are facing justice in the courts since Kitui
Governor Kaluki Ngilu imposed the ban in January.
The accused- Muteti
Munyoki, the driver of lorry Registration Number KBK 653T carrying130 bags, Joseph Nderitu- KBU 227W
with 200 bags, Alexander Mutisya- KAW 188G with 150 bags, Mutua Mwololo- KBY 656F
with150 bags, Richard Maina- KCF 324T with 150 bags and Alex Mugambi-KCH 272Z,
carrying 150 bags, pleaded guilty before Mwingi Senior Resident Magistrate
Grace Kirungumi.
They were convicted on
their own plea of guilt and slapped with a fine of Sh. 50,000 each or one year
imprisonment in default. The magistrate also ordered they forfeit the 930 bags
of Charcoal, to Kitui County Government.
The bags were seized
from six lorries, which were arrested on March 14, 2018 at Ukasi in Mwingi
Central by Ukasi OCS Chief Inspector Karisa,
County Enforcement officer Mr. Elijah Kolite and County Environment Inspector
Mr. Isaiah Mutunga.
Governor Ngilu has
vowed to press on with the ban despite a move by her Kiambu counterpart
Ferdinand Waititu to sue her for allegedly targeting traders from his community
She also received
Summons from the National Cohesion and integration Commission Chair Mr. Francis
Ole Kaparo to answer charges on alleged incitement. But when she appeared
before the commission, she was ambushed with different allegations from
charcoal traders.
Mrs. Ngilu's ban on
charcoal and sand harvesting has since acted
as a wake- up call to other counties and the country as a whole on the raging effects of climate
change following the depletion of forest cover across the country,
Machakos Governor
Alfred Mutua has also issued a three year ban on the same.
The war on
deforestation was taken up by the National Government, where Mr. Keriako
Tobiko, Cabinet Secretary of Environment and Deputy President William Ruto banned logging
in Mau Forest and other areas, which has since seen more than 20 loggers
arrested.
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