Policewoman Caroline Mango, Phyllis Ngirita charged with tax evasion

What you need to know:

  • KRA prosecutor Doris Ing'ahizu told Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi that Ms Mango and others had failed to remit Sh8 million in taxes.
  • Two other suspects in the same case - Phyllis Njeri Ngirita and Catherine Wanjiku Mwai - were charged before Milimani Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku.
  • Ms Ngirita denied six counts of failure to pay taxes between 2016 and 2018.

Policewoman Caroline Atieno Mango, who has been caught up in the National Youth Service scam over business deals, was charged on Thursday with evading payment of Sh8 million in taxes.

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) prosecutor Doris Ing'ahizu told Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi that Ms Mango and others had failed to pay a total of Sh87 million in taxes.

Ms Ing'ahizu noted that non-remittance of taxes by some six companies which traded with the service led to huge losses.

The police officer's companies and those linked to her children received a combined Sh87.7 million from the service.

Ms Mango denied charges of failing to pay the Sh8 million and was released on a cash bail of Sh2 million.

OTHER SUSPECTS

Two other suspects in the same case - Phyllis Njeri Ngirita and Catherine Wanjiku Mwai - were charged before Milimani Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku.

The two were represented by lawyer Evans Ondieki, who objected to the case against Ms Ngirita, saying the KRA had not exhausted avenues for pursuing the tax claim against her.

He later abandoned the application to oppose Ms Ngirita's prosecution.

Ms Ngirita denied six counts of failure to pay taxes between 2016 and 2018.

The court heard that she had not paid taxes amounting to Sh20.9 million while Ms Wanjiku had not paid about Sh10 million.

NGIRITA'S PLEA

Ms Ngirita urged the court to release her on a reasonable cash bail, saying her child has been chased away from school.

The accused informed Ms Mutuku that the child, whose father is a German, had been urging her to change his name so he can study.

"Your honour, I have suffered a lot due to the media coverage of the NYS matter. My accounts have been frozen, my vehicles taken away and now I cant pay my bills," she said in her plea for leniency.

"Initially I was doing well but now l cant make ends meet."

BAIL TERMS

Ms Mutuku directed Ms Ngirita to avail documents about the child by 2pm before a ruling on her release terms.

Ms Wanjiku wa released on a cash bail of Sh500, 000 after denying the charge of failing to remit sh10m in taxes.

The trial was set for December 20, 2019