Tabitha Karanja, CEO Keroche Breweries has refuted claims that her company has evaded tax and has moved to court to block her arrest.

This follows orders by the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji on Wednesday to have Tabitha and her husband Joseph Karanja arrested and prosecuted over alleged evasion of taxes amounting to Ksh.14.4 billion.

According to the DPP, an audit by KRA established that Keroche Breweries Limited evaded taxes by failing to pay Excise Duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) on its various products including Crescent Vodka, Viena Ice and Summit beers as well as duty stamps between January 2015 and June 2019.

Tabitha Karanja has however protested the move terming it as “gross violation, intimidation and harassment” of local investors.

“We are deeply shocked beyond imagination by both the allegations made and the manner in which the matter has been handled from the dissemination of information,” she said.

Vienna Ice Vodka

Tabitha further said that the only dispute Keroche breweries has with KRA is over the tax rate applicable on it’s Vienna Ice ready to drink vodka and added that the matter is under the tax appeal tribunal.

Kenyans React 

Kenyans have taken to social media to question the government’s motive in issuing arrest warrants on local businessmen over alleged tax evasion, terming the move as sinister although some attribute the latest efforts to nab tax defaulters to the arrest and prosecution of senior KRA managers two months ago.

Tabitha Kerocho woes follow that of Business tycoon Humphrey Kariuki, who has been wanted over similar accusations. Kariuki, who has been charged with 21 charges of Sh.41billion tax evasion, presented himself in court on Thursday morning and was released on a Sh 11m cash bail.

Mutahi Ngunyi: JUSTICE is for DYNASTIES. The LAW is for HUSTLERS. Humphrey Kariuki and “Tabitha Karanja” are HUSTLERS Who MADE it. They must FACE the DIRTY Law. Not JUSTICE. Now I wonder: Who NEXT from the HOUSE of HUSTLERS?

Robert Alai: The offices of @DCI_Kenya and@ODPP_KE are going to abuse their powers with the goodwill they are enjoying from the public. Tabitha Karanja is a woman who has fought and brought employment to Kenyans. I see the hand of EABL (Diageo) on this.

Polycarp Hinga® : Ever since ODPP_KE took KRA staffers to court and Njiraini retired, a lot has come light about the warped operations at Times Towers. Humphrey Kariuki and Tabitha Karanja are some of the outcomes of the crumbling of the KRA cartels webs. More is to come. #FixingTheNation.

Beata mbutei: Anybody supporting Tabitha Karanja and her tax evasion maneno is a threat to our economy. I think Kenyans are taught by the media to see Legislatures as the enemy but other rich guys as gods. Anybody supporting this is like those civil servants who have applied for census jobs!

Kenneth: I am NOT holding brief for Tabitha Karanja of Keroche but why not summon her in writing under section 52 of the Police Service Act instead of engaging in this slideshows @DCI_Kenya re you this idle?