KRA announced that it has already Sh53 billion in tax evasion cases in the new financial year that started in July 2019/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 12 – Two directors of Olympus Computer Garage Limited were Friday charged with ten counts of tax evasion accumulating to Sh1.4 billion.
According to a statement by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), George Bhutto Abiga and Bernard Ochieng Okello appeared before the Milimani Law Court where they pleaded to the counts.
They were accused of underdeclaration of customs value of goods to reduce payable taxes, claiming tax relief using fictitious invoices, among other offenses.
KRA Commissioner for Investigation and Enforcement David Yego said that the accused individuals were arrested on October 9, 2019 after it was revealed they were involved in illegal acts from 2014.
“The offenses were committed between the years 2014 and 2016 where they were charged with an offense such as failure to declare sales, omitting taxable income from returns and failing to submit returns,” Yegon said.
However, they denied all the charges and were each released on a bond of Sh5 million and alternative bail of Sh2 million.
The court is set to hear the case on November 6.
KRA Commissioner for Investigation and Enforcement David Yego (pictured) said that the accused individuals were arrested on October 9, 2019 after it was revealed they were involved in illegal acts from 2014/FILE – KRA
The tax agency also said that it has discovered that high valued goods are being brought into the country through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by importers who underdeclared their value, hence paying less duty.
“We are keenly monitoring all imports through the JKIA and those found culpable will be prosecuted,” Yegon added.
This comes even as KRA announced that it has already Sh53 billion in tax evasion cases in the new financial year that started in July 2019.
The money lost was subject to 118 cases already in court.
KRA announced earlier that it is targeting to prosecute 600 tax evaders in 2019/2020 finance year.
The tax collector is also targeting to collect Sh15 billion from filed cases on tax evaders up from Sh8.5 billion through the Investigations, prosecution, and publicity strategy and an additional Sh5 billion collected in 2018/19 and 2017/2018 respectively through the investigations, prosecution and publicity strategy.
During the 2018/2019 financial year, the tax collector managed to collect Sh1.58 trillion, an 11.8 per cent growth from Sh1.43 trillion in the previous year.
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