Kikuyu Council of Elders and Naivasha business community have come to the defense of embattled Keroche Breweries terming the arrest as sickening and worrying.
The two groups are now calling upon the government to investigate over the arrest of Keroche breweries CEO suggesting that her competitors are behind it.
Keroche CEO Tabitha Karanja and her husband Joseph Karanja were arrested on Thursday afternoon at their Naivasha brewery over the alleged Sh 14.5 billion tax fraud.
The Kikuyu Elders, led by their chairman Daniel Kigochi, said the arrest was not genuine and has sent fears among investors in Naivasha.
He poked holes on why the Kenya Revenue Authority had to wait for long for the money to accumulate and make the arrest.
"If at all the arrest was genuine, the arrest could have been before and this shows us that some officers at KRA are not doing their work," they said.
They pointed that the arrests and prosecution was a well calculated move to humiliate the renowned entrepreneurs.
Another elder Timothy Githogori, condemned the arrest saying it was done in an inhumane way.
"The manner in which Tabitha was carried away by the police to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters was not properly done," he said.
According to the elders, Keroche breweries has boosted the business community in Naivasha as well as created employment for hundreds of youths.
They said that the company has been operating in transparency and has brought a lot of investment in Naivasha.
On Wednesday, the Director of Public Persecutions Noordin Haji issued orders to arrest the couple of failing to remit tax running into Sh 14 billion between 2015 and June this year.
The couple appeared on Friday before Milimani Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi, where they denied the charges instigated by KRA.
Keroche, whose lawyer is James Orengo, was released on Sh.10 million cash bail or Sh.15 million bond.
Her husband Karanja was granted Sh.5 million bond or Sh.2 million cash bail and given a week to pay.
Their company was granted Sh.15 million cash bail and the case will be mentioned on September 2, 2019.
