Chinese national, Kenyan woman arraigned for operating illegal tea processing plant

A Chinese road contractor and a Kenyan woman were on Tuesday arraigned for allegedly operating an illegal tea processing plant at a construction site.

He Zhifhang and Mary Wanjiku were charged on three counts of operating a processing plant not registered by the Kenya Tea Board (KTB), engaging in business without a valid work permit and failing to produce business license on demand by the police.

The two denied the charges in a Nyeri court and were released on a Ksh.1 million bond and a surety of a similar amount with the option of Ksh.1 million cash bail each. Zhifang was also asked to deposit his travel documents with the courts.

The prosecution asked to amend the charges before Chief Magistrate Wendy Kagendo but were directed to submit the new charges on Thursday when the case was set for hearing.

The two were arrested on Friday after the police raided a construction site in Kiawara, Kieni Constituency, where Zhifang works as a road contractor.