Maragua sub county police commander Alex Shikondi has cautioned pineapple traders from Kenol, Kabati and Kigumo areas against stealing and selling pineapples from Delmonte Kenya Limited.
Addressing pineapple traders in Kenol Township the police boss noted that he had received numerous complaints from the company about the traders trespassing the expansive firm and stealing the fruits which they later sell.
He added that the authorities will not hesitate to take action and any trader that will be caught stealing or will be found in possession of pineapples from the firm.
“The Delmonte Company has increasingly noted and reported to us that numerous cases of theft of the pineapples is going on and is greatly affecting their profit margins,” he said.
“We therefore will not hesitate to arrest and arraign in a court of law any person found in possession of the pineapples from Delmonte,” Shikondi further warned.
He disclosed that they had also received reports from the company indicating that their guards had been injured and even maimed in the past by armed pineapple thieves who attack with machetes, pangas and other crude weapons.
While confirming the existence of legit traders who get their pineapples from Kanyoni in Gatundu in a just manner, Shikondi observed that proper identification is always carried out by the firm to identify their fruits when someone has been caught and therefore no genuine seller will be prosecuted.
“In the past we have arrested and taken to court other perpetrators with the help of the company who identify their fruits and we will continue do this so as to curb the vice,” he added
In the recent past the Delmonte Company Limited guards came under sharp criticism for brutality and allegedly meting violence on suspected pineapple thieves.
