Keroche CEO spared charges in Nanyuki liquor packaging row

A Nanyuki court has expunged the name of Keroche Breweries chief executive Tabitha Karanja from a charge sheet in a case where her company has been accused of packaging liquor illegally.

Nanyuki Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku on Tuesday accepted an application by Ms Karanja seeking to have her name removed as a second respondent in the case.

“I have considered the application and I find it fit to substitute the charges and remove the second respondent from the charge sheet,” Ms Thuku ruled.

Special prosecutor John Maina, on behalf of the Weights and Measures Department, recommended that Ms Karanja’s name be removed while seeking to have the application amended.

“We wish to have the charge sheet amended to remove the name of the second accused since the case has progressed for the last three years and is about to be concluded without her being tried,” Mr Maina said.

Keroche Breweries lawyer Ibrahim Sanko told the court that the amendment was crucial, adding that it would not be appropriate to charge Ms Karanja as the company’s executive director and charge the firm concurrently.

Initially, the prosecution had sought to charge Ms Karanja alongside her Nanyuki-based beer distributor, Grace Wanjiru, and Keroche as an entity.

Ms Wanjiru and the firm were allegedly found on September 30, 2015 with Viena Ice pre-packed liquor in Nanyuki town.