Former Kenya Bureau of Standards MD Charles Ongwae has denied a charge of defrauding the government of Sh64 million in taxes.
Ongwae appeared before magistrate Kennedy Cheruiyot a day after 11 other suspects appeared in court over similar charges.
It is alleged that in January last year, Ongwae, Eric Chesire, Samuel Mburu, Hillary Kamau, Ibrahim Twahir and three companies, Gendpie Enterprises, Rupai Trading Limited and Landmark Freight Services Limited conspired to defraud the government of Sh4.3 million.
The four allegedly imposed a penalty of 0.5 per cent instead of 15 per cent of the total customs value on imported goods without a certificate of conformity.
Ongwae faced another separate charge of abuse of office. He denied unlawfully authorising the waiver of penalty for imported goods without a certificate of conformity from the country of origin from 15 per cent of the total customs value to 0.5 per cent.
He was released on a cash bail of Sh200,000 and a bond of Sh500,000.
The magistrate also directed that he appears before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations on Monday for processing.
The case will be mentioned on January 14.
