A man from Nyandarua was blocked from travelling overseas for treatment due to his failure to pay tax.
Michael Kuria, who recently shot in the public limelight after the anti-corruption commission started investigating him on allegations of embezzling close to Sh300 million form the devolved unit was arrested for evading tax summing up to Sh 116 million.
Kuria stands accused along with his wife Catherine Wanjiku, his mother Agnes Wanjiku Kuria, business associate Henry Njoroge Gathiga and their six companies.
Mr Kuria said he is diabetic and is due for treatment next month in Canada.
“His body is producing excessive iron and he is diabetic. He travelled back to the country on April 7, this year and was arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by police on pretext there was departure prohibition order. Kuria and his wife have eight children who are currently living with the househelp,” lawyer Dennis Maina told the court.
The KRA lawyers Sheila Sanga and Doris Ing’ahizu opposed the release of the four traders, saying they are flight risks and their travel documents should be confiscated.
“We empathise with them but this is a case of economic sabotage as every income-earning citizen has the responsibility of paying tax to finance government operations. They benefited with contracts from Nyandarua government, earned huge amounts of money but failed to pay tax,” said Ms Sanga.
The case will be mentioned on June 10 and 12, this year for a pre-trial.