This archive report was first published on 7 October 2019.
On October 7, 2019, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) launched a crackdown on tax evaders in Western Kenya, sending shockwaves through the business community.
According to reports, the authority is pursuing several companies that owe it millions of shillings in taxes. On Friday, two company directors, Earnest Omondi and Benjamin Ombok, were arrested and arraigned for failure to remit Sh180 million to the taxman.
Omondi, the director of Migwish Enterprise, Janto Constructions, and Sunae companies, denied more than 20 charges, while Ombok, the director of Bofad and SGMA Agencies Company, denied 26 charges.
The two directors were accused of failing to pay corporate tax of Sh72 million and Value Added Tax (VAT) of Sh108 million between 2013 and 2018.
Prosecutor Duncan Chalashaw told the court that more suspects were still at large, and Senior Principal Magistrate Hezron Nyaberi issued a warrant of arrest for Elisha Odhiambo, Fredrick Onyango, Mary Anyango, and Hellen Ambok.
Their lawyer requested that their cases be handled in different courts.
As KRA continues its crackdown on tax evaders, it is seeking to recover Sh15 billion from 600 tax cheats.
