Two suspect were arraigned in Kisumu court by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) for allegedly evading taxes totaling to Sh168, 131,451.
Ernest Omondi Owino and Mr. Benjamin Opek Ombok were charged separately in Winam court for failure to pay tax by the due date and for knowingly omitting tax returns.
Owino, a director at Migwish Enterprise Limited, Janto Constructions Limited and Sunae Limited together and Ombok, a director at Bofao & SGMA Agency were suppliers of Migori County.
The companies are alleged to have failed to submit corporate tax returns from 2013 to 2017 despite being paid by the county government.
The three companies associated with Mr. Ernest Omondi Owino had failed to remit Value Added Tax (VAT) worth Sh131, 235,658 while Benjamin Opek Ombok of Bofao & SGMA Agency evaded Sh36, 895,793.
The two suspects who appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate H M. Nyaberi were released on Sh8 million bond or Sh5 million cash bail and Sh10million bond or Sh5 million cash bail respectively.
The hearing for the case will be in November 2019.
At the same time, a warrant of arrest has been issued for the company’s Co-directors Fredrick Onyango Okoth, Elisha Odhiambo Mark Otieno, John Boriga Marita, Mary Goreti Anyango Opek and Hellen Atieno Ombok who are yet to surrender.
According to KRA, tax evasion does not only deny the government a fair share of revenue but also poses unfair business competition to legitimate businesses.
By George Kaiga
