Police to help State collect revenues

Acting Inspector General of Police Noor Gabow. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Acting Inspector General of Police Noor Gabow has directed officers to enforce tax collection to help the government seal budgetary gaps.

Mr Gabow attributed the budgetary constraints to existing loopholes in the collection of taxes.

"As well known to you all, one of the core functions of the government is provision of services to citizens. This critical function is therefore reliant on the government's ability to collect revenue," Gabow's statement read.

The letter was sent to the Deputy Inspector General (Administration Police) and copied to the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

The acting police boss also ordered a crackdown on contraband goods.

The statement further continues: "Unfortunately some unscrupulous taxpayers devise ways to cheat and evade paying taxes hence affect the projected revenue targets."

Gabow gave an example of an incident in Kirinyaga County where a lorry ferrying 1,000 cartons, each containing 20 bottles of alcohol, was impounded.

"This is just one of the many examples of tax evasion schemes. Criminals employ different tax evasion tricks to defraud the government."

Gabow said the police will work with revenue collection agencies in enforcing the directive.