This archive report was first published on 2 September 2019.
On September 2, 2019, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) took steps to prevent billionaire Humphrey Kariuki from using the media to defend himself against tax evasion charges.
Kariuki, the owner of African Wines and Spirits, is facing nine counts of tax evasion amounting to approximately KSh41 billion.
Senior Assistant DPP Vincent Monda requested that Kariuki and his lawyers refrain from making public comments or holding press briefings regarding the case.
As a result, a planned press conference was cancelled, with Kariuki's lawyer, Cecil Miller, briefly addressing the media before declining to answer questions.
Despite hiring a PR firm to manage his social media presence, Kariuki's efforts to garner sympathy have been met with skepticism from the public.
Many have expressed their disapproval of Kariuki's tactics, with one Twitter user commenting, 'Mr Kariuki should defend himself in court, not here. SHAMELESS.'
Another user noted, 'Very quickly becoming a Kenyan thing. Side shows to distract the people from what's really going on.'
Kariuki has denied all charges of forgery, money laundering, and tax evasion, and a mention is set for September 24, 2019, to confirm receipt of copies of documents the prosecution will use in the trial.
