Mary Wambui Mungai, the woman in the centre of a Sh2.2 billion tax evasion case on Wednesday night escaped a police dragnet at Weston Hotel, where she has been residing.
According to a statement released by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Wambui, alongside her daughter Purity Njoki Mungai, who are both directors of Purma Holdings Limited, escaped from their hotel rooms a few minutes before the police and KRA officers arrived to arrest them.
“Upon searching the hotel premises, KRA officers and the police found personal belongings of the two including cash, bank cards and car keys; a clear indication that the two were residing at the hotel,” KRA said in the statement.
Following the two women’s daring escape, a blame game has ensued between KRA officers and police from the Rapid Deployment Unit over who might have tipped off the two women.
Police cordoned off the hotel as a search on the two is intensified.
The billionaire Jubilee Party campaign financier is wanted over Sh2.2 billion unpaid taxes from big-ticket State tenders in agencies like the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) and the military.
A warrant of arrest was issued on the two on December 8, 2021, after the directors failed to appear in Anti-Corruption Court before Chief Magistrate Felix Mutinda Kombo to answer eight counts of knowingly and unlawfully omitting taxes due in the income tax returns submitted to the Commissioner for Domestic Taxes for the period between 2014-2016.
The court was informed that the two failed to honour summons to appear before KRA on December 3 to inform them of the charges against them and instead sent their accountant.
Through their lawyer Syvanus Osoro, Ms Mungai informed the court that she was admitted to the hospital on December 29, 2021.
However, no medical records or disclosure of illness or hospitalisation have soo far been made.
Court agreed with the prosecution that the accused were buying time instead of confronting the charges which the court noted are of great public interest and grave.
The case will be mentioned on December 14 or the earliest the accused will be arrested.
https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/economy/jubilee-party-sponsor-tax-evasion-evades-police-at-city-hotel-3646546
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