- Kenya Revenue Authority clarified that the former Cabinet minister Raphael Tuju has no tax debts
- KRA emphasised Tuju’s status as a compliant and valued taxpayer, dismissing claims by the opposition
- Authority responded to misleading media reports regarding Tuju’s tax compliance
Nairobi: The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has responded to claims that it is targeting the former Cabinet minister Raphael Tuju over a pending tax dispute.
Source: Original
The authority stated that Tuju is tax-compliant and a valued taxpayer, and there are no pending tax disputes, as a section of opposition politicians had claimed.
“Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has noted with concern recent media reports alleging that it has imposed tax debts on Hon. Raphael Tuju.The authority wishes to clarify that Hon. Tuju is a compliant and valued taxpayer. The information is therefore incorrect and misleading to the public,” KRA stated in a media statement on Thursday, March 26.
During an interview on Ramogi TV and Ramogi Radio on Wednesday, March 25, former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua sensationally claimed that the taxman had slapped Tuju with KSh 60 million tax debt.
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“I have just seen they are harassing Tuju. They have slapped him with a demand of KSh 60 million by KRA, after harassing him in hospital. That guy had a bad accident. He injured his spine. He was mishandled by police. He is in hospital. He has not killed anybody. He has not done anything that would warrant that kind of violence against him,” he said.
What happened to Tuju?
Tuju is currently embroiled in a property dispute with the East African Development Bank (EADB) over KSh 1.1 billion unpaid debt.
The legal battle dates back to 2015, when Tuju borrowed KSh 1.1 billion in 2015 through his company, Dari Limited.
According to the bank, Tuju defaulted on the loan by the second quarter of 2016. This move led the lender to issue notices to Dari Limited in late 2017.
The Kampala-based financial institution claimed that Tuju ignored its notices and the matter went to a Kenyan court and a London-based court.
Dari Limited was, therefore, found liable to pay KSh 1.96 billion.
When was Tuju auctioned?
One of the key assets, Dari Coffee and Restaurant, was auctioned on October 1, 2024, to KSh 450 million to Ultra Eureka Limited.
Tuju has protested the sale and attempt to auction an additional property.
The city businessman camped outside the property when goons and police officers evicted him on the night of Wednesday, March 14.
Earlier that week, he had confronted auctioneers, defiantly telling them they would have to “kill him first” before evicting him.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
