Keroche directors Tabitha Karanja and Joseph Karanja have been arrested on Thursday afternoon over tax fraud claims.
The two have been nabbed from the company premises in Naivasha following the orders from DPP.
The couple is set to be arraigned in court over Ksh14.45 billion tax evasion claims.
According to Haji, investigations into the company have revealed that they have been found guilty of 10 counts of tax fraud.
It is noted that in an inquiry file submitted by the KRA commissioner-general, Keroche Breweries was found culpable of having evaded payment of tax talling Ksh14,451,836,375.
Read: DPP Orders Arrest Of Keroche Breweries Owners Tabitha and Joseph Over Ksh14 Billion Tax Fraud
Their arrest followed a heavy presence of detectives at the Keroche Breweries premises.
According to reports, the detectives from both the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) have been at the premises since on Wednesday evening when DPP Noordin Haji ordered the arrest of the company directors.
It is further noted that Ms Karanja had requested for a press conference, in order for her to set the record straight but that was not to be as the detectives arrived at the scene preventing her from addressing the media.
Read also: Keroche Director Tabitha Karanja Says Tax Evasion Claims Are Malicious
However, in a statement issued by Ms Karanja, she accused the DPP of being used by competitors to stifle Keroche business through mudslinging.
Tabitha affirmed that she is a law-abiding citizen who was ready to present herself to the DCI officers.
“Am shocked by the new allegations leveled against me, my husband and Keroche Breweries and this is pure malice,” she exclaimed.
Read: DPP Noordin Haji Orders Arrest Of Africa Spirits Directors Over Tax Evasion
Keroche’s CEO further wondered the timing of the orders noting that it comes two weeks after she launched the KB lager claiming that the move was meant to intimidate her.
She stated: “This is a vendetta war launched by my competitors and am ready to face the taxman and the DPP to prove my innocence.”
Despite insisting on her company’s innocence, she admitted to having had a dispute with KRA over certain rates that the company was supposed to pay for their Vienna Ice drink.
Additionally, she reveals that despite her interactions with the taxman the issue of the Ksh14 billion unremitted tax claims has never been raised with them.
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