The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has been linked to the corruption scandal reported at British American Tobacco (BAT), after an investigative documentary titled 'The Secret Bribes of Big Tobacco' was aired by BBC.
The documentary revealed that BAT paid KRA millions of shillings to access classified information regarding taxes imposed on its main competitor in the country, Mastemind Tobacco (Kenya based Tobacco Company).
Paul Hopkin, the whistle blower of the unscrupulous deals at the BAT, unveiled that he had sufficient evidence of bribes issued to officials at KRA.
“We paid the KRA guy, the right KRA guy a shed load of money. He issued all the tax demands. I mean we have tax demands now.” Hopkins told the then BAT Kenya boss Gary Fagan, in a phone call he secretly recorded.
The revelations also mentioned Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula, who was the Trade Minister in 2012, as one of the politicians in East Africa compromised by BAT to defy the set anti-smoking laws.
The documentary indicated that the tobacco company paid for a business class return flight for the Bungoma Senator's wife to London, a deal that was conducted by BAT's Lobbyist, Julie Adell-Owino.
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However, KRA denied the allegations in the investigative piece, stating that evidence implicating any of its officers should be presented before anti-corruption agencies.
“KRA takes great exception to the unsubstantiated international media reports carried by the BBC. KRA does not condone any acts of corruption within its rank and file,” KRA Commissioner-General John Njiraini stated.
“KRA welcomes public scrutiny of tax administration operations including the conduct of its staff,” Njiraini was quoted by the Business Daily.
Wetangula and Owino have since denied the claims, citing that they were in the process of suing BBC for defamation.
Read Also: Wetangula to Sue BBC
