BUSINESSMAN CHARGED WITH 11M TAX EVASION

Businessman charged with Kshs 11 million tax evasion in cigarettes

By Correspondent

A businessman was arraigned before Milimani Chief Magistrate for being

in possession of uncustomed goods and excisable stamps acquired without

the authority of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

Patrick Murimi Mwangi was charged before Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku

with offences relating to repackaging and distribution of contraband

cigarettes for the purposes of evading taxes amounting to Kshs 11.6

million.

On the first count, the accused faces a charge of being in possession

of 1.4 million sticks of uncustomed Supermatch cigarettes with a tax

value of Kshs 8.3 million as required under section 200 D(iii) As Read

with Section 210 (C) of The East African Community Customs Management

Act, 2004.

The accused also faced a second count of being in possession of 50,000

pieces of excisable stamps made without authority of the KRA as

required under Regulation 30(1)(E) of Excisable Goods Management System

Regulation 2017.

The businessman was arrested in Githunguri in Kiambu County on 22nd

December 2020. He denied both charges and was released on a bond of

Kshs 900,000 and alternative cash bail of Kshs 200,000. The case is set

for a mention on 22nd February 2021.

KRA strives to detect and disrupt tax evasion schemes and prosecute

criminals to ensure that all individuals pay their fair share of taxes.