This archive report was first published on 23 August 2019.
On August 22, 2019, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested Tabitha and Joseph Karanja, owners of Keroche Breweries, on charges of tax evasion.
The couple was arraigned in court on Friday morning to answer up to 10 charges related to tax evasion, with the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji ordering their arrest and arraignment on Wednesday.
According to the DCI, the couple evaded taxes amounting to over Sh14 billion between January 2015 and June 2019.
Tabitha Karanja, the CEO of Keroche Breweries, denied the allegations, stating that she had always followed the law and was shocked to be accused of tax evasion when the matters were still under a tax tribunal.
'There is nowhere in the world where you can build a business having complied all through and still be subjected to such embarrassment and intimidation,' Mrs Karanja said, protesting her arrest and that of her husband Joseph.
Founded in 2009, Keroche Breweries started by making spirits and wines before diversifying into beer, becoming the first ever Kenyan-owned company to brew beer.
The company has been engaged in long-running battles with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) over tax bills, with the Court of Appeal ruling in favor of the brewer in a 2017 tax battle.
On August 22, 2019, the DCI arrested Tabitha and Joseph Karanja, owners of Keroche Breweries, on charges of tax evasion.
