KRA boss, wife arrested after discovery of Sh597M unexplained wealth

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) manager Joseph Chege Gikonyo and his wife Lucy Kangai Stephen have become the latest suspects arrested on graft charges.

According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the two were found to possess Sh597 million wealth that could not be explained.

The two have further been accused of tax evasion to the tune of Sh38 million through a company they jointly manage, Giche Limited

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"Jospeh Chege Gikonyo and Lucy Kangai Stephen both being directors of Giche Limited accumulated unexplained assets amounting to Sh597,457,059.

"Further, the commission established that the two fraudulently failed to pay taxes due to the Kenya Revenue Authority for the sum of Sh38,692,694 being the company's tax due and accrued expenses," a statement from EACC read in part.

Back in August 2018, Mr Gikonyo issued a statement after The Standard published an article questioning his vast wealth on a Sh100,000 salary.

"I am not to blame for the rise in prices and value of my properties, which cannot be attributed to corruption. They (EACC) previously sought to have me forfeit the properties to the Government in 2016 but the court overruled them after I satisfactorily explained the source of my wealth," he stated at the time.