Keroche Breweries’ Owners Tabitha and Joseph Karanja Are in Hot Beer – Arrested For Tax Evasion

Owner of Liquor empire Keroche Breweries Tabitha Karanja and her husband Joseph Karanja found themselves persons of interest in a tax evasion scandal that led to their arrest. The warrant for their arrest was ordered by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji who prosecuted Keroche Breweries owners Tabitha Karanja and her husband Joseph Karanja over alleged evasion of taxes amounting to an outstanding Sh.14.4 billion.

As reported by the DPP, an audit done by KRA concluded that Keroche Breweries Limited had been evading taxes by failing to pay Excise Duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) on several of its products including Crescent Vodka, Viena Ice and Summit beers. The evasion of tax payment by Keroche Breweries Limited is said to have occurred between January 2015 and June 2019.

The DPP sees it fit that the accused Tabitha Karanja, Joseph Karanja and Keroche Breweries Limited is charged with 10 counts of Tax Fraud.“Having independently reviewed the file and applying the provisions of the National Prosecution Policy, I am satisfied that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to charge the suspects listed herein with 10 counts of Tax Fraud, contrary to section 97 (a) and (c) of the Tax Procedures Act, 2015,” said the DPP in a statement. It is clear that the two owners are in hot soup, rather hot beer with this whole case.