KRA seals boaders in search of missing Purma Holdings director

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has sealed airports and border points in search of Purma Holdings Limited director wanted for tax evasion.

This is after the anti-corruption court has issued a warrant of Mary Wambui Mungai and Purity Njoki Mungai failed to honour court summons to take plea in Sh2.2 billion tax evasion case.

A multi-agency unit was deployed to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and all border points to track down Wambui.

Wambui was accused of contempt of court after failing to honour court summons in a Sh2.2 billion tax evasion case.

The two were marked as fugitives with a multi-agency team deployed to track them down, minutes after Chief Magistrate Felix Mutinda Kombo, ordered the police to apprehend the duo and avail them in court.

“Whereas Mary Wambui Mungai has this day (6/12/2021) failed to attend court for plea taking. Therefore you are hereby commanded forthwith to apprehend Mary Wambui Mungai and bring her before this court to be further dealt with according to the Law,” ordered the magistrate.

The warrant was also issued against them after the court was notified of the duo’s failure to show up before KRA on Friday, December 3 to inform them of the charges against them, opting to send their accountant.

This was in reaction to claims by the defence team their clients were not served with summonses.

The defence claimed that Wambui had been admitted at the Nairobi Hospital since November 29, and was unable to attend court asking for 10 days to present Njoki since she had not been served with the summonses.

The prosecution opposed an anticipatory bail application that the defence had applied before the High Court arguing that no medical records were presented to confirm the claims.

“It is clear the directors were served and the accused persons were properly served and neglected to appear,” said the magistrate.

The magistrate noted that there was no indication of medical incapacity of the alleged illness and incapacitation.

“It would appear to the court that the accused are buying time and have refused to confront the complaint levelled against them. The accused to be arrested and presented before court,” he said.

The two were first charged in July this year with eight counts of fraud, for deliberately omitting taxes due in the income tax returns submitted to the Commissioner for Domestic Taxes for the period between 2014 to 2016, to which a warrant was issued to have them arrested after failing to appear before KRA to hear the charges against them.

Njoki and her sister Everlyn Nyambura in a move to block the warrant, disowned their mother, stating they were registered as directors of the company without their consent, with the claim that they were not of age to take up responsibility in the company.

“The second and third respondents (Nyambura and Njoki) had been included as minority shareholders and directors at the incorporation of the company by the first applicant (Wambui), their mother, without their consent, having been minors and in school,” their attorney, Wakubengo Waningilo argued.

The duo urged KRA to pursue their mother who should face the consequences for her own mistakes as they were neither shareholders, customers, employees nor agents of the firm.

The case will be mentioned on December 14 or as soon as they are arrested.