Three directors of Sukari Investment Limited were charged with failing to pay over Sh1.8 billion in taxes between 2013 and 2018. Yasin Sheik Mahamud, Amina Mohamud Ahmed, and Abdinoor Muhiadin Alinoor entered not guilty pleas to 10 charges before Mombasa Principal Magistrate Edgar Kagoni. The court set a Sh10 million bond with one surety or Sh4 million cash bail for the defendants.
The prosecution alleged the directors failed to remit Value Added Tax (VAT) from sugar sales during multiple periods. Mahamud and Mohamud faced charges for unpaid VAT totaling Sh16.07 million from 2014 sales, along with unsubmitted returns for 2013 and 2014. Additional allegations included Sh19.47 million in unpaid taxes from 2015-2016 sales and Sh32.08 million for 2016 transactions.
Mahamud and Alinoor were charged with Sh200.47 million in unpaid VAT from 2015-2016 sales, plus Sh98.89 million for 2017 transactions. The pair also faced accusations of failing to pay Sh1.14 billion in VAT from 2017 sales and Sh342.37 million for 2017 income. A separate charge cited Sh1.14 billion in unpaid taxes for 2018 income.
The defense argued the tax figures did not reflect actual liabilities, while the prosecution maintained the amounts were accurate. The case is scheduled for pretrial on March 14, 2019.
