Court lifts order freezing businesswoman Mary Wambui's 13 bank accounts

Justice Alfred Mabeya, referring to evidence presented before the court, ruled that Mary Wambui was willing to pay the taxes to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) but the authority instead frustrated her intention.

Justice Mabeya noted that KRA should have disclosed to the court the existence of the criminal charges before denying her access to her accounts.

"Here is a case of a willing taxpayer whose effort to pay the ascertained taxes is being thwarted by the tax authorities," he stated.

KRA officers in conjunction with DCI sleuths unsuccessfully attempted to arrest Mary Wambui Mungai and her daughter Purity Njoki Mungai, at a Nairobi hotel in which they were residing on December 8.

The pair were also accused of disregarding court summons that ordered them to appear before the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) on December 3, 2021, to inform them of the charges against them.

The Purma Holdings director together with her daughter then appeared before the Anti-Corruption Court on December 9 to take plea for eight counts of unlawfully omitting taxes within the period between 2014 and 2016. 

They were then released on a Ksh.50 million bond and a surety of Ksh.25 million each after pleading not guilty to charges, pending further hearing.