Mary Wambui walks free in Sh2.2bn tax evasion case after DPP withdrawal

NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 10 – Businesswoman Mary Wambui and her daughter have joined the list of prominent Kenyans whose cases have been withdrawn in recent weeks.



Wambui, who was recently appointed the Chairperson of the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK), has been battling a Sh2.2 billion tax evasion case with her daughter as directors of Purma Holdings.



But on Tuesday, the Director of Public Prosecutions applied to discharge them from the case over sufficient lack of evidence.



The application was granted by Magistrate Felix Kombo.



The two were dramatically arrested last year following investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) which accused them of evading taxes.



In allowing the application to withdraw the case, the trial magistrate Felix Kombo said he was satisfied with the agreement reached by the Kenya Revenue Authority and the two on the settlement of the dispute.



“Following successful compounding of offenses on December 6, 2022, and subsequent payment of fines imposed, the authority now wishes to withdraw the matter pending before the court,” read the letter by KRA in December.



The magistrate subsequently ordered that Wambui and her daughter Purity get back their Sh50 million cash bail.



In the case, Purma Holdings Limited and its directors Wambui and Purity had been accused of knowingly and unlawfully omitting from the company’s income tax returns Sh2.5 billion.



The said monies according to the charge sheet should have been included in the income tax returns submitted to the commissioner for the year of income 2014. Eight witnesses had been lined up to testify in the case.



Capital News