Sophie Njoka @PeopleDailyKe
Nine Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Kenya Bureau of Standard (KBS) officers have been charged over the loss of containers loaded with uncleared cargo and aiding tax evasion at the Mombasa port.
The nine were charged with four counts of fraudulently clearing three containers as nine more were allegedly intercepted before leaving the port. KPA officials charged included Dorosila Akinyi, Joshua Misoi, Godwin Nyakora, Alex Mwagasi, alongside KRA’s Wilberforce Otieno, Benard Otieno, Thomas Mwandoga, Stephen Nginya and Hamisi Hamadi.
Their alleged accomplices who included police officers stationed at the port did not take plea. On Friday, KPA managing director Catherine Mturi had indicated that 13 officers among them police officers and KEBS officials would be charged over the tax evasion scandal.
The charges read that on May 11 at the Kilindini Port, the accused conspired to falsify records of containers that were allegedly loaded with new clothes to read ladies plastic shoes to evade the payment of customs duty and other charges amounting to Sh20 million.
The suspects further denied the offense of aiding and abetting a cargo agent Abdihafidh Farah in contravening section 53 of EACCMA and thereby importing concealed goods and further denied using falsified customs declaration documents required for the purpose of assessment of liable duty.
The agent was also charged in absentia with four counts of falsifying customs entries and importing concealed goods contrary. The suspects who appeared before Mombasa chief magistrate Douglas Ogoti, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were released on Sh50,000 bond with an alternative of cash bail of Sh10,000 each.
Ogoti directed that Farah be arraigned in court to facilitate his plea taking on August 22 when hearing of the case begins.
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