In what is shaping up to be one of the major tax evasion bust that could have seen the taxman starved Sh3billion monthly, billionaire Humphrey Kariuki Ndegwa was among the five put to task by detectives to detail and account backdated revenues and returns filed according to the bank statements showing clear trail of their monies and inconsistencies reflected at the Kenya Revenue Authority.
The Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit (Eccu) and the Serious Crime Unit departments at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters are keen to examine in-depth scrutiny the scale of interests held by Kariuki, his associates and proxies believed to be involved in corporate-like tax evasion and fraud through firms listed as shareholders of companies under probe.
Kariuki’s daughter Nyawira wangari Kariuki is also implicated but she did not appear yesterday. Besides Kariuki, others grilled for over nine hours are Peter Njenga Kuria, Mary Wambui, Robert Thinji and Dennis Murithi. Today, eleven others are expected in what detectives say is “grilling and interviewing of suspects by a multiagency.” A senior detective said.
They were represented by a battalion of lawyers some representing individual clients and others appearing for specific firms and their directors. Kariuki reported some few minutes to 9am while others presented themselves some minutes to 8am yesterday. “We are done with the initial phase, we will record statements from each of them and move to the next phase.” Another officer privy to the probe intimated.
The probing team consists of the DCI as the lead entity, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Assests Recovery Agency and the Kenya Revenue Authority. The Banking Fraud Investigations Unit detectives were also present. “We cannot rush and arrest or prosecute people, we have to build enough evidence and submit the same to DPP for evaluation if their enough evidence threshold to sustain a case.” The officer added.
Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti summoned directors of two companies Africa Spirits Limited and Wow Beverages Limited co-owned by same individuals and companies domiciled in each other through shared directorship in what detectives believe is a calculated move to deliberately follow consistency of returns filed.
Africa Spirit Limited directors are: Peter Njenga Kuria, Geoffrey Kaaria Kinoti Mbobua, Signature Wines (HK) Limited, Golden Valley Limited co-owned by (Jane Wanjiru Njenga, Peter Njenga Kuria and Mary Wambui Njihia), Gemtal Limited, Claudine Mathis, Lionsbridge Limited co-owned by Dennis Murithi Kimathi and Geoffrey Kaaria Kinoti Mbobua.
Other listed directors of Africa Spirits include; Kigumba Limited co-owned by (Kisima Management Company Limited, Humphrey Kariuki Ndegwa and Nyawira Wangari Kariuki), Axis Logistics Limited co-owned by (Stuart Heard Gerald, Robert Thinji Murithi, Peter Njenga Kuria, Humphrey Kariuki Ndegwa, Signature Wines (HK) Limited, Golden Valley Properties Limited, Gemtal Limited and Nyawira Wangari Kariuki.)
On the other hand, Wow Beverages Ltd listed directors are: Robert Thinji Murithi, Peter Njenga Kuria, Humphrey Karikui Ndegwa, Stuart Heard Gerald, Signature Wines (HK) Limited, Golden Valley Properties and directors of SICPA Kenya Limited. The DCI warned those who fail to honour the summons will face immediate arrest. “It is an offence under Section 52(2) of the National Police Service Act 2011 to fail to comply with this requisition.” Kinoti said.
In Thika, Flying Squad officers recovered 312,000 litres of illicit liquor, smuggled ethanol from tanzaniaand the fake KRA stamps. From the recovered 21million counterfeit KRA stamps, the taxman would have lost a whooping Sh1.2billion. Some of the popular brands produced by the plant include Bluemoon vodka, Legend brandy and Glen Rock whisky. Kariuki has vast wealth across Africa and other overseas countries mainly dealing in petroleum and gas. Kariuki who maintains a low demeanor and once worked at the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) is not new to controversy as he was linked to money laundering claims at collapsed Charter House Bank.
In 2001, his firm, Crucial Properties Ltd, was given a Sh2 billion credit facility which CBK withheld following intelligence reports of possible money laundering and later by the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU), a special anti-narcotics formation within the DCI. In 2017, his firm, GL Africa Energy, domiciled in the United Kingdom (UK) was awarded a $375 million (Sh38.9billion) tender to build and operate a 250 megawatt gas-powered plant in Mozambique.
The firm was contracted to build a power plant at the North Eastern district of Nakala and use gas from the Rovuma Basin to generate electricity. He also has a foothold in horticulture and hospitality sectors. He is among the faces behind The Hub in Karen. Kariuki is also the founder of Dalbit Petroleum, Green Corner Restaurant, Wines of The World franchise, and Goodwood Farm in Nyeri.