This archive report was first published on 25 August 2021.
Published on August 25, 2021, two individuals have been charged with contravening the Customs Laws and Excise Duty Act of 2015.
John Gitau Kamau and Benson Kamau Mburu were arraigned before Principal Magistrate Isaac Orenge at the Nakuru Law court on three counts of charges related to uncustomed goods, excisable goods affixed with counterfeit Excise stamps, and being in possession of counterfeit Excise stamps.
The two suspects were arrested on August 13, 2021, at Lanet area within Nakuru County after being found with Supermatch cigarettes affixed with counterfeit Excise stamps and in possession of uncustomed Supermatch cigarettes valued at Sh146,980.
They denied all the counts and were each released on a bond of Sh100,000.
The case will be heard on September 21, 2021.
According to KRA, some taxpayers have resorted to affixing counterfeit Excise stamps on excisable goods to evade payment of excise duty and smuggle uncustomed goods through porous borders.
"This act of dealing with uncustomed goods and counterfeit KRA Excise stamps is a deliberate fraud scheme to defraud the Authority of Customs duties," KRA noted.
