The Kenya Revenue Authority officers on Thursday destroyed 50 crates of beer in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet
The officials said the Tusker Lager beer manufactured by the East African Breweries was meant for export but was diverted to a local hotel in the town in a tax evasion racket.
The beer was poured at a disposal point at Iten County Referral Hospital as beer lovers watched in disbelief.
This was after the Authority
obtained a court order from Iten Senior Principal Magistrate Hezron Nyaberi.
The order was issued on October 18.
A beer lover Vincent Kamboi faulted the move to pour the beer, saying the quality of the drink was good, only that the trader failed to pay tax.
“How can you pour beer that has been brewed according to recommended standards? The trader should have been ordered to pay the taxes or be offered to beer lovers for free,” Kemboi said.
Keiyo North Deputy County Commissioner John Korir said the beer was traced to a store in a hotel in Iten following a tip-off.
Korir said the suspected trader did evade taxes after purchasing the beer on the pretext of exporting.
He said the businessman
defrauded the state by illegally diverting the export products to the local market.
“Export products are a foreign exchange earner. The products should be destroyed to serve as a lesson to perpetrators,” Korir said.
He said security agencies will remain vigilant to prevent sale of counterfeit products in the area.
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