The freezing order has been lifted by the court. The 13 bank accounts of businesswoman Mary Wambui.
The High Court in Nairobi on Tuesday removed an order banning Mary Wambui Mungai from accessing her 13 bank accounts over accusations of alleged tax evasion totaling Ksh.2.2 billion, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief.
Referring to evidence brought before the court, Justice Alfred Mabeya found that Mary Wambui was eager to pay the taxes to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), but that the authority instead thwarted her plans.
KRA should have informed the court of the criminal allegations before denying her access to her accounts, according to Justice Mabeya.
He remarked, “Here is an instance of a willing taxpayer whose endeavour to pay the assessed taxes is being impeded by the tax authorities.”
On December 8, KRA officers and DCI sleuths attempted but failed to arrest Mary Wambui Mungai and her daughter Purity Njoki Mungai at a Nairobi hotel where they were staying.
The two were also accused of ignoring a court order to appear before the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) on December 3, 2021, to be informed of the charges levelled against them.
On December 9, the Purma Holdings director and her daughter appeared before the Anti-Corruption Court to enter a plea to eight counts of illegally withholding taxes between 2014 and 2016.
After pleading not guilty to the accusations, they were released on a Ksh.50 million bail with a Ksh.25 million surety each, awaiting a subsequent hearing.
