Kenya Revenue Authority staff led by some commissioners are planning a go-slow to protest the arrest of 80 colleagues by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
Thirty eight of them were presented in court on Monday but did not take plea. Instead, the police were allowed to hold them for another 14 days as they continue with their investigations.
On Monday, intelligence sources told the Star that they have been monitoring conversations in WhatsApp forums set up by the KRA staff that have revealed the plan.
“They want to argue that because many people have been arrested and interdicted, the workload has increased and they will not be able to collect taxes efficiently,” a source involved in the investigations said.
DCI investigators say new evidence has emerged from the interrogation and confiscated phones that could increase charges against those arrested.
It also emerged that police are planning to go to court on Tuesday to obtain arrest warrants for another 41 people wanted by DCI for among other things, tax evasion, money laundering, abuse of office and neglect of duty.
The prosecution, led by Duncan Ondimu, on Monday wanted the officials detained for 21 days at Central and Kamukunji police stations to enable them to conclude investigations.
Senior resident magistrate Mutio Mayova said this was unreasonable.
The suspects will be held at Gigiri, Muthaiga and Kileleshwa police stations.
In an affidavit filed by investigating office Arthur Onyango, the suspects were arrested on May 10 at KRA Domestic Taxes Department and Customs and Border Control Department.
Onyango said at the time of their arrest, most of their laptops, phones and other electronic gadgets were seized and are yet to be subjected for forensic examination and reports obtained.
Onyango said together with other teams, investigators have so far obtained court orders to obtain the suspects' subscriber details, line history, IMEI history, text messages and Call Data Records for the period of July 1, 2017, and May 9.
Onyango told the court that the investigations are complex and require detailed analysis with respect to over 178 mobile phone numbers and M-Pesa statements.
The court was informed that brief information so far gathered and credible intelligence so far received show that the suspects were actively involved and colluded with certain taxpayers in a criminal enterprise to evade payment of taxes or to reduce tax liability.
