Ksh.15B tax evasion lands businessman in trouble

A businessman was on Thursday arraigned at the Makadara Law Courts in Nairobi over evasion of tax amounting to Ksh.15 billion.

Keval Kumar Navin Maisura was charged that “jointly with another not in court, knowingly and deliberately omitted from his income tax returns a total sum of Sh15,369,511,856; the amount which he ought to have declared to Kenya Revenue Authority as required by the income Tax Act.”

Kumar allegedly committed the offence on dates between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2017 at Industrial area within Nairobi.

He faced another charge that on the same dates and place, with another person yet to be apprehended, he failed  to pay due date income Tax amounting to Ksh.4.6 billion  which he ought to have paid to the Kenya Revenue Authority as required.

Kumar was further charged with failing to pay Ksh.2.4 billion income tax.

The court heard that the accused “being chargeable to tax, without treasonable cause, failed to submit to the commissioner, Value Added Tax returns for the periods of January to December 2015 by the due date as required by value Act.

Kumar also failed to submit a Value Added Tax return by due date of periods of January 2016 to December 2017.

He denied the charges before Chief Magistrate Heston Nyaga.

Through lawyer Kibiru Njenga, the accused told the court that he is willing to engage with KRA and settle the tax.

He was released on a cash bail of KSh.5million or a bond of Ksh.15 million with a surety of similar amount. The magistrate further asked Kumar to deposit his passport in court.

The case will be mentioned on April 19, 2018.