This archive report was first published on 5 September 2019.
Published on September 5, 2019, a Kenyan court has ordered the prosecution in the case against Humphrey Kariuki, a business magnate, to supply defense lawyers with witness statements and other documentary evidence before September 26th.
Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku made the order, stating that the prosecution should have provided the documents immediately after Kariuki and his co-accused were charged on August 19th.
Defense lawyers, led by Counsel Cecil Miller, Kioko Kilukumi, and Bernard Nzakya, told the court that the prosecution had failed to provide them with the necessary documents to prepare for the case.
They emphasized that the witness statements and documentary evidence held by the prosecution are crucial to the accused and the defense lawyers in the prosecution of the case.
Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Vincent Monda requested more time to supply the witness statements and documentary evidence, promising to provide them by September 16th.
Humphrey Kariuki and his co-directors of African Spirits and Beverages have denied criminal charges of alleged tax evasion amounting to 41 billion shillings.
He presented himself to court following summons and is out on a cash bail of 11 million shillings with an alternative bond of 20 million shillings.
According to the prosecution, 26 witnesses have been lined up to testify in the case.
