Keroche's Tabitha and Joseph Karanja to be arrested over 14 billion tax evasion

Tabitha Karanja to be arrested by DCI. PHOTO | FILE

Tabitha Karanja and her husband Joseph Karanja to be arrested for tax evasion.  The couple has 10 counts on KRA evasion.

Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji has ordered the arrest and prosecution of Keroche Breweries owners Tabitha Karanja and her husband Joseph Karanja over alleged evasion of taxes amounting to Ksh.14.4 billion.

According to the DPP, an audit by KRA established that Keroche Breweries Limited evaded taxes by failing to pay Excise Duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) on its various products including Crescent Vodka, Viena Ice and Summit beers as well as duty stamps.

The alleged evasion of tax payment by Keroche Breweries Limited occurred between January 2015 and June 2019.

"Having independently reviewed the file and applying the provisions of the National Prosecution Policy, I am satisfied that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to charge the suspects listed herein with 10 counts of Tax Fraud, contrary to section 97 (a) and (c) of the Tax Procedures Act, 2015," said the DPP.

The crackdown on tax evasion companies started with Betting companies later the City tycoon Hamphrey Kariuki. The DPP has ordered the KRA commissioners to audit all companies and forward all tax evasion companies to his office.