KPA, KRA employees charged over tax evasion

Nine Kenya port authority KPA and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) employees were on Wednesday charged in a Mombasa court for allegedly conspiring to facilitate the release of 121 cargo containers before paying custom duties, causing a revenue loss of 82,442,895 .

The accused, Paul Makau, Benedict Opiyo, Vincent Onchweri and James Kato among others appeared before principal magistrate Francis Kyambia and faced seven counts including  wilful neglect of official duties and procuring of uncustomed goods.

The accused are said to have committed the offense on diverse dates between 1st of May  2016 and 3rd August 2016 at Kilindini Port of Mombasa.

The court was informed that knowingly and fraduently jointly with others not before court, the nine conspired to facilitate the release of 121  containers without paying custom duties, causing the loss of the said revenue.

The court issued a warrant of arrest of Mohamud Ibrahim  Hassan, Mohamed Ibrahim Hassan,Fatuma Nabhany and Edah Mwake for allegedly failing to appear in court.

The nine suspects denied the charges and were released on a bond of Ksh500,000 each with a surety of a similar amount.

The case will be mentioned on15th November 2016.

Several suspects have been charged with the loss containers at the port of Mombasa in August this year, a matter that provoked President Uhuru Kenyatta to form a special security unit to escort all trucks carrying containers heading to neighboring countries.