The untouchable Moghuls and power brokers of the country’s beleaguered sugar industry the Rai Group owners of West Kenya Sugar Company Ltd have been put on the firing line by the latest entrant into the industry.
The Busia Sugar Industries Ltd (BSI) that has borne the brunt of vicious endless legal battles that have literally crippled its construction right from infancy to being commissioned in May this year, has filed a suit against the Moghuls accusing them of gross abuse of the judicial system.
The suit filed in the Kitale High Court by Hassan Madawo Said advocates the BSI which has been on the firing or defensive line is hitting back at the Rai Group Moghuls led by their lead Sugar Company West Kenya Sugar Company Ltd as the first respondent in the case.
The suit notice filed by Mr. Said reads in part: “In the matter of frivolous and vexatious institution of suits against Busia Sugar Industries Ltd and its proxies and in the matter of abuse of the court process, BSI has filed the suit against West Kenya Sugar Company Ltd.”
The 2st respondent in the suit notice of substituted service by advertisement which was advertised in a section of the daily newspaper is the West Kenya Chief Executive Officer Tajveer Singh Rai, the second is his elder brother Jaswant Singh Rai and the third Sarbjit Singh Rai the mother of the siblings.
She is on record of having sued Jaswant Rai of allegedly pilfering the family’s multi-billion shillings widespread business interests and investing them in personal enterprises to earn personal profit when the fortune belonged to the whole family.
Since the Busia Sugar Industries was granted license by the former regulatory authority, the Kenya Sugar Board (KSB), the Rai Moghuls who had just acquired West Kenya Sugar Company based in Kakamega County’s Kabras area through third parties financed endless legal battles against BSI to stop construction of its factory at Busibwabo area in Busia County.
West Kenya without a single contracted sugarcane farmer and programme to finance sugarcane development programmes as required by law, desperate for raw material triggered a deadly sugarcane poaching programme from farmers contracted to the giant Mumias Sugar Company, Butali and Nzoia Sugar Companies which has brought the sugar industry in Busia, Kakamega and Bungoma counties to a standstill.
BSI being the first and only sugar company or factory in Busia County bore has for the last two three years borne the brunt as West Kenya fought to gain control of the county through its illegally constructed sugar factory and cane buying centre at Olepito area on the Busia – Mumias highway near Tangakona town.
It goes on to state: “Take note that a contempt of court application dated May 7th, 2918 has been filed at the Kitale High Court in which you have been named as the fourth respondent. Copies of the same can be obtained at the Registry of the same court.”
It warns the respondents to further take notice of service to them through the advertisement had been ordered by court, showing just how difficult it is to access the country’s powerful corporate and political un-touchables.
They are required within 15 days to respond to the confirmation of getting notice concerning the suits pending against them in the Kitale High Court, especially abuse of the justice system in the country to suit their interests.
Jasi rai and the family are very honest sincere and hard working families