Joseph Kairo Wambui, famously known as Khalif Kairo, and his company Kai & Karo Limited have been charged at Nyeri Law Court with tax fraud of Kshs. 1,283,830/-. Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) investigations established that Kairo, being the director of Kai & Karo Limited, knowingly misdeclared a Land Rover Range Rover Vogue as a used Land Rover Range Rover Sport on 10th January 2024 to evade payment of customs duty of Kshs 1,283,830/-.
He was charged with the offence of being knowingly concerned with fraudulent evasion of payment of duty. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted a bond of Kshs 500,000/-. The case will be mentioned on 4th June,2025. If guilty, the accused will serve a jail term not exceeding three years or a fine not exceeding one million shillings.
Meanwhile, Kericho businessman Joseph Kiprob Koech was charged with tax fraud amounting to Kshs. 83,774,330/-. Investigations revealed that between 2014 and 2020, Kiprob earned an income but failed to declare income earned for tax purposes. He further overstated expenses incurred by the business to lower the tax liability. He appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Daniel Sitati Sifuma, where he pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was granted a bond of Kshs. 3 million. If guilty, he will be liable to a fine of Kshs.10 Million or double the tax evaded, whichever is higher, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years.
In another case, Edgepine Company Limited director John Maina Peter was charged at Milimani Law Court for using fictitious invoices amounting to Kshs.42,265,171/- to evade tax. Through his company, Maina knowingly and unlawfully made fictitious invoices in his company’s VAT returns amounting to Kshs 42,265,171/- between 2019 to 2023, thereby reducing payable VAT by Kshs 6,762,428/-. He appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate P.K. Mutai, where he denied the charges and was granted a bond of Kshs. 500,000/-.
In Meru County, trader Samuel Matiba Kithia was charged at Meru Law Court with tax evasion of Kshs.3,388,776.34 resulting from the use of counterfeit tax stamps. Matiba was arrested on 11th December,2024 at Iluru area within Maua Town, Igembe South Sub County in Meru while in possession of assorted second-generation liquor brands worth Kshs 6,855,000. He was charged with having excisable goods affixed with counterfeit excise stamps. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted a bond of one million shillings. The case will be mentioned on 4th June,2025. If guilty, the accused will serve a jail term not exceeding three years or a fine not exceeding five million shillings or both as provided for by the Excise Duty Act 2015 as amended by Section 43 of the Finance Act 2023.
KRA is actively engaged in unearthing tax evasion schemes resulting in revenue leakage in order to boost tax compliance and adherence to tax laws and procedures while ensuring fair trade is maintained within the market.
Related Content: Safety Of Taxpayers Data Is Our Priority – Wattanga
