Humphrey Kariuki finally speaks out on Ksh.41B tax evasion case

Nairobi businessman Humphrey Kariuki has come out to address allegations that his companies evaded taxes amounting to Ksh.41 billion.

In a statement sent to newsrooms on Tuesday, Kariuki, who was on Monday charged with 21 counts of tax evasion, said the charges leveled against him are “untrue, without merit, fabricated” and intended to tarnish his name.

“I am a law abiding citizen who believes in the rule of law. The allegations leveled against me are untrue, without merit, fabricated and intended to use the judicial process to tarnish my name,” stated Kariuki.

He said that neither himself nor any of his companies has an outstanding tax dispute with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

“I affirm that I have no outstanding tax dispute with the Kenya Revenue Authority, and that I do not manage any company that has a tax dispute with the KRA. Therefore any allegation linking me to tax evasion is false and is made in bad faith,” he said.

Kariuki noted that he has huge business interests outside the country that he only spends less than 130 days annually in Kenya, adding that charges leveled against him, could be as a result of “jealousy” from certain elements out to ruin his business empire.

“Due to my business interests outside the country, I am in Kenya for less than 130 days a year. Most of my time is committed to my international ventures, which appear to have attracted jealousy from certain quarters, who are hell-bent on ensuring that they ruin my business by tarnishing my character and reputation through adverse and orchestrated media publicity and implication with offences that I am a stranger to,” said Kariuki.

The businessman noted that he decided to return to the country this week to defend himself against the “false allegations” which he claims to have learnt about through Kenyan online newspapers.

Kariuki maintains that he is in no way involved in the operations of alcoholic drinks manufacturing firm Africa Spirits Limited, which has been linked to him.

“I have confirmed both to the DPP and DCI the undisputable fact that I am not involved in the management of the said Africa Spirits Limited, and play no role in its executive management, and day-to-day operations, whatsoever,” he said.

On Monday, Kariuki was charged with evading taxes amounting to Ksh.41 billion between 2014 and 2019.

He denied the charges alongside Stuart Geraid, Simon Maundu, Africa Spirits Limited, and Wow Beverages Limited and was released on a cash bail of Ksh.11 million.

Moments after he was released, he was re-arrested on allegations of possession of unaccustomed ethanol.