DPP approves prosecution of 17 people, 4 companies over tax violations

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga has approved charges against 14 individuals and 3 companies for violating tax compliance regulations.

Benson Kisero, Eunice Likuyani, and Wise Pick Trading Limited are set to face 6 counts of fraud for breaching provisions in the Tax Provisions Act.

The DPP says that on January 20, 2022, the trio jointly filed fraudulent purchases of Ksh.11.8 million, which reduced their Value Added Tax (VAT) liability by Ksh.1.8M.

Between February 20, 2022, to January 20, 2023, they are also said to have filed fake purchases worth Ksh.357 million, reducing their VAT liability by Ksh.57 million.

Further, the trio filed other fake purchases between February 20, 2023, to July 20, 2023, amounting to Ksh.281 million, thereby reducing their VAT liability by Ksh.45 million.

They also failed to include their income of Ksh.14 million, occasioning a loss of Ksh.4 million to the Commissioner of Income Tax.

Jemimah Nasiche and Priteria Limited are also set to face three counts of fraud as they have allegedly been filing fake purchases from May 20, 2020, to January 20, 2023, amounting to over Ksh.145 million, hence reducing the total VAT liability by over Ksh.24 million.

Thomas Kanyi will also face charges for failing to include his earned income from 2016 to 2020 which amounts to over Ksh.91 million.

DPP Ingonga says that the non-compliance has occasioned the loss of over Ksh.21 million.

Another suspect, Anastacia Ng'ang'a, is also said to have flaunted the tax compliance regulations by failing to include her income from 2016 to 2019.

The cumulative income over the said years totals to over Ksh.48 million, occasioning a loss of over Ksh.8 million.

Douglas Kathurima Mwiti, Saeed Sheikh Abdirahman and Sidoman investments Limited will face 7 counts of making false entry using a KRA PIN belonging to Nancy Mokeira Gwaro purporting it to be theirs, occasioning a loss of Ksh.4,406,605.

Michael Obunde, Jesse Muganda, Christopher Asoka together with GEO Freight Forwarders LTD are also set to face two counts for making false entries.

The first false entry they made was between July 13, 2003, to August 20, 2023, where they made false customs entries using a KRA PIN belonging to one Di Lorenzo Limited purporting they are the exporters.

They also made the same false entries on August 24, 2023, using Di Lorenzo's KRA PIN.

The last lot includes Joseph Guchecha, Ramadhan Gitau, Edwin Barasa, Florence Muiruri, Moses Odhiambo, Francis Mwandanu and Daniel Ngugi.

The DPP notes that the 7 will face 3 counts of offenses in breaching provisions of the East African Community Customs Management Act 2004 for the theft of 1,511 bags of condemned powdered milk that had been seized for destruction.