Keroche Breweries proprietor Tabitha Karanja arrested over tax fraud
By: Staphey Wairimu
Posted on Thursday, August 22, 2019
On Wednesday evening, an embattled Keroche breweries boss Tabitha Karanja arrest and arraignment was ordered by Director of Public Persecutions Noordin Haji, over tax fraud amounting to 14 billion since Janury 2015 to June 2019.
The detectives were at the factory’s gate at 7 pm while others were dispatched to the alcohol giant’s home in Runda estate, Nairobi. The two who have owned the company since 2009, were manufacturing wines and spirits before diversifying into a multi-million beer company. It has, however, been in fights with KRA over Sh. 1.3 billion backdated tax bills.
This is not the first time that the company is finding itself on the law’s neck. In 2017, the court of appeal ruled a 10-year long Sh. 1.1 billion tax battle between it and KRA, in favor of the company. Back in 2015, the brewer was also shut down allegedly for lack of compliance on taxation and the matter ended up in court.
‘’We are deeply shocked beyond imagination by both the allegations made and the manner in which the matter has been handled in dissemination of information. My shock is how a local investor can be coarsed, humiliated, embarrassed and denied the well deserved respect which if it was a multinational they would not have handled in such a manner.’’ The business mogul confessed.
This comes a week after the industrious DPP ordered an arrest on Humphrey Kariuki and seven others over tax evasion charges at the Thika based Africa spirits Ltd and Wow Beverages Ltd. The baron who was arrested by flying squad also said the information was false.
Netizens have been keen on this story with some claiming that it is only a way to pull down the local investors or business competitors plotting to harm the company. Nevertheless, others are contented with the amount of work going into putting down the business empires and tycoons evading taxes.
Early in May, thirty-eight Kenya Revenue Authority employees were also arrested over tax evasion.
Anerlisa Muigai, the Karanjas' daughter and owner to Executive Water and a weight loss app, posted a picture of herself and her mother with two roses and a prayer emoji. Her fiancé Ben pol also commented with love emojis during this turbulent moment.
