Court Releases Tycoon Humphrey Kariuki's Passports to Allow Him Travel Abroad for Medical Checkup, Business Meetings

Kenyan tycoon Humphrey Kariuki who is accused of evading taxes amounting to Sh41.2 billion is free to travel abroad.

This comes after a Nairobi court on Wednesday released his passports which had been held as security in the tax evasion case against him.

Kariuki, who holds Kenyan and Cypriot passports, is seeking to travel to the United Kingdom for medical checkup and for business meetings in DR Congo and Zambia.

The prosecution had opposed the temporary release of Kariuki's passports arguing that he is flight risk and that he could attend his business meetings virtually but his lawyer Cecil Miller told the court that his client had previously been given the passports and returned them on time as ordered by the court.

Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku dismissed the prosecution's objection, saying the court has no power to dictate how Kariuki intends to conduct his meetings, in addition to traveling to the UK for medical checkup. She added that the planned travel by Kariuki will not interfere with the pending case.

Kariuki is required to return the passport to court by November 6th. There will be a mention on November 18th to confirm Kariuki’s return to the country and whether he has deposited the passports back in court, which was part of the conditions for his release in the case.

Kariuki is accused of evading the taxes through his liquor companies, Africa Spirits Limited and Wines of the World (WOW).