A former Nyandarua chief finance officer (CFO) employee who allegedly turned the county into a milking ATM has once again founf=d himself in deep trouble months after the EACC court froze his assets.
Michael Kamau Kuria together with three others was released on a bond of Sh10 million each after denying 58 charges related to tax evasion of Sh116 million.
Kamau, his wife Catherine Wanjiku Njeri, mother Agnes Wanjiku Kuria, and business partner Henry Njoroge Gathiga were arraigned by the Kenya Revenue Authority before Senior Resident Magistrate Nelly Kariuki where they denied tax evasion charges.
The four were charged that as directors of six different companies, namely, Gachomba and Company Properties, Wanjohi Contractors and General Supplies Ltd, Olkalau Ventures, Kanjuiri General Contractors, Kaimbaga Enterprises and Githioro Contractors, they failed to pay taxes.
In March, High Court froze eight bank accounts belonging the former Nyandarua County chief of finance Michael Kamau Kuria, his relatives and several business entities for a period of six months pending investigations into allegations of embezzlement of over Sh 115 million and acquired property worth Sh181 million in three years.
The four were also dispossessed of four top-of-the-range vehicles.
Yesterday, State Counsel for KRA Doris Ing’ahizu and Chilla Sanga urged the court to set stringent bail terms for the suspects.
The counsel said Kuria was a flight risk because he was also under investigation by the EACC.
“This case is of great public interest because payment of taxes is the obligation of every citizen. Failure to pay taxes is tantamount to economic sabotage,” Ms Ing’ahizu said.
Mr Kuria 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.
He is alleged to be 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.