Govt's Statement After Disappearance Of Businesswoman Who Bought Ksh17B Oil

The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has found that a company owned by missing businesswoman Anne Njeri Njoroge, linked to the importation of Diesel worth Ksh17 billion, submitted supposed cargo documents which were determined to be invalid.

In a statement on Monday, November 13, KPA found that Ann’s Import and Export Enterprises Limited, whose cargo was linked to the Dubai and Kilifi-based businesswoman, was not approved to receive the 93,460 tons of Gasoil loaded by the tanker at the Saudi Arabian port of Yanbu in late September.

KPA Board Chairman Benjamin Tayari revealed that the consignment was loaded onto MT Haigui, afterwhich she tendered her notice of readiness and contacted the Port of Mombasa under the Agency of Sturrock Shipping (Kenya) Limited, which requested for the ship to be brought alongside, with the ship docking at Mombasa in early November.

Kenya Ports Authority offices. /KENYA PORTS AUTHORITY

“Out of the manifested 93,460 metric tonnes of gasoil, 49, 091 was destined to Kenya with the shipper being Aramco Trading Fujairah as nominated by the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum. The remainder being 44,3687 metric tonnes was transit cargo for neighbouring countries including Uganda, South Sudan and the DRC,” Tayari stated.

KPA further took notice of the circulation of a purported original Bill of Lading of Ann’s (Anne Njeri Njoroge-an importer) who claimed to be the shipper of all the cargo, the consignee of all the cargo and stated the cargo was loaded at Jeddah Islamic Port, Saudi Arabia on October 9, 2023.

“The voyage duration from Jeddah to Mombasa was 10 days and therefore it is impracticable for the vessel to have been loaded in Jeddah on October 9, 2023, yet she arrived in Mombasa on October 11, 2023,” KPA added.

"Further, copies of MT Haigui's ownership documents in KPA's possession do not show Ann’s Import and Export Enterprises Limited as the owner of MT Haigui."

Furthermore, other anomalies observed in the purported Bill of Lading were that the origin of the cargo was indicated as Azerbaijan Republic and loaded at Jeddah, which is contrary to the actual origin being Yanbu in Saudi Arabia.

Additional inaccuracies found in the suspect document include incorrect information about the ship’s tonnage, cargo type and stamp, as well as a lack of the captain’s signature.

KPA noted that for fuel imports, KPA and all other agencies involved are required to adhere to existing government-to-government arrangements.

“Therefore, KPA counterchecks a manifest submitted prior to a call to confirm that the International Oil Marketer (shipper) is duly appointed by the Ministry of Energy and that the consignees are licensed,” added the statement.

KPA's statement came a day after Njeri was reported missing shortly after leaving the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters on Thursday, having been summoned to record a statement at the DCI offices over the Ksh17 billion deal.

According to her lawyer Cliff Ombeta, the businesswoman was asked by Energy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Davis Chirchir to show up at the DCI headquarters where she was interrogated on her sources of wealth.

"Energy CS Chirchir told her that she needed to report to DCI headquarters in Nairobi. She met the DCI boss (Mohamed) Amin who directed her to the investgators. When she left, she was blocked, and since then, we have not seen her," said Ombeta.

At the centre of the businesswoman's missing is the fight for ownership of the consignment between two marketing companies who alleged to own the 100,000 metric tons of the said diesel.

According to Ombeta, Njeri has been in the business for over 30 years and she risks losing billions the more she remains missing.

According to reports, the ship ferrying the consignment had been blocked from leaving the dock and the diesel being offloaded until the ownership dispute was heard and determined.

Lawyer Cliff Ombeta at the Supreme Court of Kenya. /CLIFF OMBETA