Mombasa tycoon denies evading paying Sh2.1 billion as income tax

A Mombasa businessman has been charged with evading tax amounting to Sh2.3 billion.

Mohamed Bachoo, who appeared before Mombasa Resident Magistrate Rita Amwayi yesterday, is said to have committed the offence over the past three years.

Mr Bachoo was charged that on June 30, 2017 at Shimanzi in Mombasa while trading as Karibu Mchele commodities, jointly with others, he defaulted to pay Sh1.1 million to the taxman.

The accused also faced another charge of failing to pay Sh136 million in 2016.

Bachoo also denied a third charge that on January 30 2015, he failed to pay Sh905,787,644 as income tax.

The suspect denied all the three counts and was released on a bond of Sh2 million or a cash bail of Sh500,000.

The accused was ordered to appear in court on January 28 for a pre-trial conference.

Bachoo is among tycoons in Mombasa that KRA has been investigating over tax evasion claims.