@Alicewangechi

Two men who worked as security guards are set to be charged in a Murang’a Law court after parchment coffee and other items worth Sh524,500 were stolen from a Guthera coffee factory in Kahuro, Murang’a County.

The two were arrested on Tuesday after thieves made away with 46 bags of parchment coffee at 1 am while they were on watch.

One laptop, a printer, a flash disk, an extension cable and an electronic digital scale were also stolen.

The County Commander of police Benjamin Kimwele told The Star that the suspects were however released on cash bail and will appear in court on November 1 to face charges of failing to prevent a felony.

“The scenario they have given of how the coffee was stolen seems very suspicious,” Kimwele said.

Farmers however have pointed an accusing finger at the factory’s management for failing to inform them that the parchment coffee had been packed and was ready for transportation to millers.

Eunice Nyambura who lives near the factory said she received information that the coffee had been stolen at 2 am.

“I rushed to the factory only to find that the vehicle that the coffee was loaded onto had already left. We started screaming and more farmers came out,” she said.

Nyambura wondered why the factory’s management did not inform farmers as is the norm that coffee parchment was being prepared for transportation

Normally, she said, they are called for a meeting and informed of plans to transport the coffee after which they organize themselves to guard it overnight.

They started doing this a few years ago following widespread theft of coffee that left many farmers in most parts of the county counting losses.

“Why didn’t they do that this time? The coffee had already been packed in sacks and the thieves only had to load it onto the vehicle. We want to know who and where they have taken our coffee,” she said, adding that the theft seemed like an inside job.

She said they depend on coffee to support their families and that theft of their produce eats into their meagre earnings.

Joseph Gikonyo, another farmer, said tyre marks could be seen where the vehicle had been packed near the gate.

“We are having a hard time understanding how the coffee was stolen and it points to an inside job. No locks were destroyed so how did they get the coffee?” he wondered.

Gikonyo said the guards explained that the thieves found them as they were preparing to start their shift and overpowered them.

But he pointed out that each of them worked different shifts and wondered why they were together that night.

Gikonyo urged the police to ensure they unearth who were involved in the plot to have their coffee stolen and ensure they are held responsible.