Kebs on the spot over fake ‘quality’ stickers

Former Kenya Bureau of Standards Managing Director Charles Ongwae is among officials charged over counterfeits.

The proliferation of fake goods in the Kenyan market has been blamed on fake mark-of-quality stickers supplied by an Indian firm in collusion with senior Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) officials.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) says investigations have established that the directors of Madras Security Printers Private Ltd conspired with Kebs officials to defeat the intent of the contract for the supply of Impact Standardisation Mark (ISM) stamps for Sh882 million.

“Investigations have established that the award of the contract to Madras Security Printers Private Ltd was marred with irregularities and illegalities,” the DPP says in court papers.

A probe by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) found that the Kebs ISM stickers supplied by the Indian firm did not have a traceability system. 

They are also not tamper-proof as required by the contract  they are made using ordinary adhesive papers.