Friday, March 29, 2024

Wanted: Kenyan Tycoon Humphrey Kariuki believed to be hiding in Zambia

Share

Humphrey Kariuki
Humphrey Kariuki

Kenyan authorities have launched a manhunt for multi-millionaire businessman Humphrey Kariuki on allegations of evading taxes of more than $30 million and smuggling substandard ethanol products into the country.

The authorities believe Kariuki is in Zambia.

According to the Standard Newspaper, Police said they believed Humphrey Kariuki travelled last month to Zambia, where he was reported to have business interests.

“We suspect he is still there,” said a senior official in the probe team.

His local associates were said to be seeking legal advice from various lawyers on the way forward.

Also wanted are two of his managers.

According to a report by the Star newspaper, Kariuki and his key employees went into hiding on receiving news that detectives from the DCI and the police service had raided the beverage company’s offices.

Kariuki has been in hiding ever since.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss, George Kinoti, said Kariuki was wanted for questioning in connection with claims of tax evasion.

Police raided Kariuki’s Thika-based Africa Spirits Ltd plant and seized ethanol, 312,000 litres of liquor and 21 million Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) stamps that officers said were fake.

The popular brands produced by the plant include Bluemoon vodka, Legend brandy and Glen Rock whiskey.

Through its subsidiary — Wines of the World Beverages — the firm also imports and distributes leading brands of wines and premium whiskey from North America and Europe that include Zappa, Bacardi and Southern Comfort.

KRA Commissioner of Intelligence and Strategic Operations Githii Mburu claimed the plant had not remitted Sh3 billion in taxes every month.

“We found about 21 million counterfeit stamps at the factory. That means the commission would have lost Sh1.2 billion. In one production shift, the amount of tax lost is about Sh93 million,” Mr Githii said.

The Government gets about Sh200 in tax from a litre of ethanol, the main ingredient of alcoholic beverages.

Githii added that for every 20,000 litres of smuggled ethanol, the Government loses about Sh4 million.

Kariuki, 62, is the founder of Janus Continental Group, a conglomerate that includes The Hub- a premier shopping mall in Nairobi, Africa Spirits, a leading manufacturer of Alcoholic beverages, Dalbit Petroleum, one of the largest oil distributors in East and Southern Africa, and Great Lakes Africa Energy, a U.K-based company that is a developer and operator of power projects in Southern Africa.

He is also the owner of the 5-star Fairmont MountKenya Safari Club and the neighboring Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy and Animal Orphanage.

One of Kenya’s most prominent businesspeople, Kariuki is also one of its most controversial.

He had been linked in the past to organized crime, but always denied his involvement with businesses in the underworld.

Last year he won a libel suit against the popular Standard Newspaper in Kenya on allegations linking him and his businesses to human, narcotics and weapons trafficking.

16 COMMENTS

    • Keep him in Zambia, to continue financing PF. If you send him to Kenya they will slaughter him too.
      I don’t like that country.

    • This man is known to deal with Henry Banda and is a good acquaintance of Mr. RB both who also have business interests in Kenya. ECL was introduced to this man for Election financing (part which also came from Nigeria) when he was blocked from using state resources by Guy scott. This is the very reason this man has found it comfortable to come to Zambia .. ECL recently visited with him under the thin veil of state visit when he met with Uhuru kenyatta claiming it was a state visit when images taken indicate otherwise. no one should be foolish to think Dalbit would get oil supply contracts in Zambia without statehouse connection

    • These are Bwezani and Chizagwa’s friends so it is only Kenyatta who can come for s state visit and fish out the tax evader friend of the unfriendly Corruption.

  1. Why not check in State House Bar…these are the investors a useless chap like Lazy Lungu would pick brains over Whiskey shots!!

  2. This man has run to the right country, we have a President who has failed to fire a minister arrested on corruption charges when mere civil servants are suspended pending investigations. Never has this happened before, Lungu could have atleast sent him on forced leave on full salary but no, he keeps him in cabinet with power to destroy evidence.

  3. With so much money why would want to evade paying taxes. Funny thing is when he dies he leave all the loot he’s been hiding from authorities.

    • @Ndanje khakis, Sounding timely warning to the corrupt Zambian politicians. Before they die authority to should catch up with them

  4. Why all the criminals coming to zambia? Katumbi and now this guy. I hope they won’t give him a diplomatic passport as well.

  5. Kenya must not even cry for Zambia keeping this man. Ruphia Banda ‘s son Henry was wanted for corruption in Zambia but was in Kenya when the govt kenyan govt refused. People report the sight of Henry.
    That’s why never do wrong to your friend as you may need him or her

  6. Kenya must not even cry for Zambia keeping this man. Ruphia Banda ‘s son Henry was wanted for corruption in Zambia but was in Kenya when the kenyan govt refused to help. People reported the sight of Henry.
    That’s why never do wrong to your friend as you may need him or he

  7. Future Africa is an independent association whose goal is to transmit to future generations a more prosperous Africa, less corrupt, safer, more united, and more pleasant to live and die in. Avenir Afrique est une association indépendante avec le désir de transmettre aux générations futures une Afrique plus prospère, moins corrompue, plus sûre, plus unie et plus agréable à vivre et à mourir.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading