A Nairobi court has set July 17 as the pre-trial conference of four suspects in the Ksh.209 million shillings fake fertiliser scandal case.

The case was mentioned on Monday before Magistrate Celesa Okore.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) told the court that it is yet to supply the defence with original witness statements and evidence to be relied upon during the hearing of the case.

The court was told that the documentary evidence was very bulky and needed more time.

It directed that the ODPP supply the documents to the defence by May 21 this year.

In the case, three top officials of the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) have been charged before an anti-corruption court with the Ksh.209million fake fertiliser scandal.

NCPB Managing Director Joseph Muna Kimote, John Kiplangat Ngetich (Corporate Secretary), and John Mbaya Matiri (Chairman, Business Committee) are accused that jointly with others not before the court, they conspired with intent to defraud Kenyan farmers and sold a total of 139,688 bags of 25 kilograms each of soil amendment and conditioner valued at Ksh.209,532,000 purporting it to be a genuine fertiliser, a fact they knew to be false.

They are all out on a bond of Ksh.5 million each.