Tabitha Karanja refutes tax evasion charges

Tabitha Karanja, CEO Keroche Breweries has refuted claims that her company has evaded tax and has moved to court to block her arrest.

This follows orders by the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji on Wednesday to have Tabitha and her husband Joseph Karanja arrested and prosecuted 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 between January 2015 and June 2019.

Tabitha Karanja has however protested the move terming it as “gross violation, intimidation and harassment” of local investors.

“We are deeply shocked beyond imagination by both the allegations made and the manner in which the matter has been handled from the dissemination of information,” she said.

Vienna Ice Vodka

Tabitha further said that the only dispute Keroche breweries has with KRA is over the tax rate applicable on it’s Vienna Ice ready to drink vodka and added that the matter is under the tax appeal tribunal.

Kenyans React 

Kenyans have taken to social media to question the government’s motive in issuing arrest warrants on local businessmen over alleged tax evasion, terming the move as sinister although some attribute the latest efforts to nab tax defaulters to the arrest and prosecution of senior KRA managers two months ago.

Tabitha Kerocho woes follow that of Business tycoon Humphrey Kariuki, who has been wanted over similar accusations. Kariuki, who has been charged with 21 charges of Sh.41billion tax evasion, presented himself in court on Thursday morning and was released on a Sh 11m cash bail.