Trade and Industrialization Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohammed has cast a blanket of confusion on the ongoing probe on counterfeit sugar, by claiming the sugar doesn’t contain any mercury as earlier revealed. In what has become a full blown contentious matter, the trade CS said on Wednesday tests haven’t proven that fact, “Tests that have been done so far haven’t proven any presence of mercury in the sugar samples taken,” he said.
He further said that if there is evidence of mercury, then the government will trace the evidence back to the source and take the required action and dispose off the dangerous counterfeit substances.
His statement contradicts the revelations made by Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and more is meant to be unraveled when the Cabinet Secretaries appear before the Agriculture Committee, in charge of Trade, Agriculture, Treasury, and Interior along with business man Jaswant Rai, who leaders claim knows more about imported sugar.
Days ago, the government had carried out tests on the impounded counterfeit sugar, and it was revealed some of the sugar contained doses of mercury and copper and illicit traders were hell bent on selling them irregardless of the dangers posed to health. Interior CS Matiang’i has vowed to continue the war against counterfeit sugar, and goods in general.