Thika liquor firm directors charged with Kshs 5 million tax evasion

By Mourice Seretta

Proprietors of spirits manufacturing firm and cosmetics firm have been charged with tax evasion amounting to KShs. 5.3 million before Thika magistrate’s court.

Peter Njoroge Mwangi, Johnson Murei Muthigoro and Joshua Kamau Njuguna, all directors of Dynamo Chemicals Limited and Vinepack Limited in Thika respectively were jointly charged with three counts of violation of various sections of Excisable Goods Management System, Regulation 2017.

On the first count, the four faced a charge of being in possession of 700 casks each 10 litres of Fiesta Special Ice brand of spirit affixed with counterfeit excise stamps. This caused KRA a tax loss of KShs.2 million, which occurred on 6th October 2020 at Ngoliba within Kiambu County.

The four accused persons also faced a similar charge of being in possession of 889 casks each 10 litres of Fiesta Special Ice of vodka brand spirit and 511 bottles (each 750ml) of Fiesta Vodka spirit affixed with counterfeit excise stamps at Vinepack Limited in Thika also within Kiambu County. The accused were found with the goods of Kshs. 2.7 million in excise tax value on 8th October 2020.

Lastly, the four proprietors jointly with others who were not before court faced a charge of being in possession of 7,638 bottles (each 250 ml) moonlight vodka brand of spirit not affixed with excise duty stamps. The goods had an excisable duty value of KShs. 608,290. This offence also happened on 8th October 2020 at Vinepack Limited in Thika town.

Thika Senior Resident Magistrate Oscar Wanyaga released the accused on Kshs.2 million bond each or an alternative of cash bail of Ksh 1,000,000 each and set the case to be mentioned on 24th November 2020. If found guilty, the accused are liable to a fine not exceeding five million shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or to both a fine and imprisonment.