I Pay My Taxes And I Have No Dispute With KRA – Humphrey Kariuki

Businessman Humphrey Kariuki, who has been accused of evading to remit taxes to Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has finally broken the silence over the matter.

In a press statement sent to the media, Mr. Kariuki has denied claims that he owes Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) a tune of 41 billion shillings in taxes.

“I affirm that I have no outstanding tax dispute with the Kenya Revenue Authority and that I do not manage any company that is in tax dispute with the KRA,” said Mr. Kariuki in a statement.

Humphrey Kariuki has dominated the headlines in the past few days after allegations that companies affiliated to him have not been remitting taxes to KRA.

The businessman owns a series of businesses both in Kenya and around the world but he is not directly involved in the management of most of them.

“Any allegations linking me to tax evasion is false and is made in bad faith,” he said.

Mr. Kariuki says for the time that he has been doing businesses both in Kenya and beyond, he has never been involved in any criminal activity terming the recent allegations a a move to tarnish his name.

“As an entrepreneur, I invest in businesses across the world and in all those countries, I have never been accused of any wrongdoing,” stated Mr. Kariuki.

In February this year, the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) sent out a statement via Twitter stating that investigations were underway for Mr. Kariuki over forgery and tax evasion.

The businessman went to DCI after the press statement was sent out and told investigators that he was not in any tax dispute with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

Mr. Kariuki has also dismissed reports by some media outlets that he had gone into hiding to avoid being arrested for the charged leveled against him.

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As a routine for his businesses, he spends less that 130 days a year in Kenya. Most of the time he is out of the country to attend to his other businesses in other countries.

He says that the fact that his businesses both in Kenya and beyond are successful, might have attracted the “jealousy from certain quarters who are hell-bent on ensuring that they ruin” now business by tarnishing his character and reputation through adverse and orchestrated media publicity and “implicating with offences that” he is a stranger to.

“I have financed many ventures, which I do not manage, that collectively pay substantial taxes. The employment created has brought positive impact on many Kenyan families and businesses, directly and indirectly,” he said.

“Finally, I would like to categorically, and for avoidance of doubt, confirm that I am a law abiding citizen who believes in the rule of law. The allegations levelled against me are untrue, without merit, fabricated and intended to use the judicial process to tarnish my name,” he said.