KRA seeks warrant of arrests against car owners with tax disputes

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has moved to court to seek warrants of arrest against vehicle owners whose cars were listed over tax disputes and failed to show up to its Support Center for verification.

Only 4 out of 124 registered owners presented their cars and documents for verification.

The commissioner for the  Investigation and Enforcement Githii Mburu and his team were at the Railway Club in Nairobi where vehicle owners were required to present their vehicles together with the original ownership, transfer and importation documents.

First to arrive was  a vehicle owned by Cabinet Secretary for Water and Irrigation Eugene Wamalwa.

According to the Cabinet Secretary’s Personal Assistant Kizito Temba, Wamalwa is the second owner.

“The problem is not with the innocent buyers, it is with the KRA. We did due diligence when the car was bought, we were told all tax had been paid and were allowed to transfer ownership. The KRA must be having all the documents. We are willing to ensure that fairness is dealt in this matter. We are law abiding citizens. The CS is not a tax cheat,” said Temba.

According to Temba, the CS bought the car early 2016.  According to the KRA, the Range Rover is registered as a lorry.

Another car owner Abdul Aziz, said the dealer he bought his car from told him that the duty of his vehicle had been paid.

“I saw my number plate among cars whose duty had not been paid. It was very embarrassing to me. I bought my car from a dealer in Mombasa and he assured me the duty had been paid,” said Abdul.

The cars brought to the Railways Club had different registrations.

The Kenya Revenue Authority had posted a public notice on Sunday to alert vehicle owners of the ongoing verification.

The registered owners of the 124 listed vehicles were then asked to take notice of Section 204 of the East African Community Customs Management Act, 2004.

The authority has been cracking the whip on tax evaders.