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The newly appointed Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) Chairperson Mary Wambui will know the fate of Ksh2.2 billion tax evasion case on January 10, 2023.

This is after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji sought another 30 days to conclude his decision on whether to drop the case or not.

Haji through, lawyer Judy, Thongori told Anti-Corruption Court magistrate Felix Kombo on Monday, December 5 that he had not finished reviewing the case after he received another letter dated November 23, 2022 from Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) on the progress of the out-of-court settlement.

“The letter by KRA over the substantial progress on the out-of-court settlement is being considered in this regard.

“Upon receiving the response from KRA, we have not had time to seek directions from the DPP Haji on how to proceed with the matter considering this new development,” Thongori said.

Wambui arraigned

Wambui, her daughter Purity Njoki and trading company Purma Holding Limited were arraigned in court early this year over allegations of evading taxes.

The three faced eight counts of knowingly and unlawfully omitting taxes due in the income tax returns submitted to the Commissioner for Domestic Taxes for the period between 2014 to 2016.

The trial magistrate Felix Kombo allowed the DPP’s request to be given more time to review the charges in relation to evading taxes before giving his directions on whether he will drop the same or not.

The magistrate granted the DPP up to January 10 to make the final decision on the dispute.

However, Wambui and her daughter through lawyers Nelson Havi and Adrian Kamotho did not oppose the request but were concerned that the DPP has not made up his mind yet.

In January 2022, Wambui was also arraigned in court to answer to charges of illegally being in possession of firearms and 22 bullets for close to two years.

The move came as details emerged of how a senior government official, on December 7, 2021 night helped her sneak out of the Deputy President William Ruto-owned Weston Hotel where she had gone to hide to evade police who were pursuing her and her daughter Purity Njoki for allegedly defrauding the taxpayer Ksh2.2 billion through tax evasion.

KRA and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives, who had launched her manhunt stormed the hotel where the fugitive and her daughter had been booked but the duo got wind of the pursuit and sneaked out leaving behind her handbag in her room number B302.

Police found a firearm certificate that had expired on April 17, 2020, which is what led to her arraignment.

Wambui spent the night at Muthaiga Police Station after being arrested, and is accused of being in possession of the said firearm on diverse dates between April 17, 2020 and December 15, 2021 as well as being found with 22, 9.9 ammunition without a valid certificate on diverse dates.

Her lawyers LSK president Nelson Havi and Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen requested the court to release her on favourable bond terms saying the two offences are misdemeanours.

She was released on a cash bail of Sh50,000 or a bond of Sh100,000 pending the hearing and determination of the case.

Fondly referred to as “Wambui wa Ruto” in social and political circles, Wambui and her daughter had been informally booked in rooms A301, A302 and B302 but when they learnt that police were closing in, they allegedly sneaked out of her room and went to one of the upper floors in the hotel where the top government official was presiding over a fundraiser in the company of some MPs that evening, and informed him of the development.

The official, according to one of the investigators in Wambui’s case, organised for her to be taken to his waiting official car, and after the fundraiser was over, he joined her and they were driven out to an unknown destination.