This archive report was first published on 27 August 2021.
On August 27, 2021, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) arraigned Francis Kiambi Matanka Kiriiro, Director of Patiala Distillers Kenya Limited, at the Milimani Law court for allegedly selling alcoholic beverages affixed with counterfeit excise stamps to distributors.
According to the charges, Kiriiro faced a count of selling Excisable Goods affixed with counterfeit excise stamps contrary to section 40 of the Excise Duty Act 2015 and Regulations 30(1) (g) as read with Regulations 30(2) of the Excise Duty (Excisable Goods Management System) Regulations, 2017.
Kiriiro denied the charge and was released on a bond of KShs.1 million and one surety or Cash bail of Kshs.500,000.
During compliance checks in Nairobi, Enforcement officers found 178 bottles of Blue Ice Vodka affixed with counterfeit excise stamps at a shop called Nice Link Dealers Limited along Mwiki Kasarani Road.
Investigations revealed that Patiala Distillers Limited, the manufacturer of the product, had supplied the distributor with the alcoholic drinks that had been affixed with counterfeit stamps for sale.
Counterfeit excise stamps on excisable goods are a deliberate scheme to defraud the Authority of Excise Duty, denying the government revenue to facilitate its service delivery.
If convicted, the accused persons are liable to a fine not exceeding five million shillings or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or both.
