A security guard attached to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) in Eldoret has been charged with breaking into a government warehouse and stealing 1,860,520 sticks of uncustomed cigarettes valued at Sh22.7 million.

The cigarettes, branded Supermatch, had been seized by KRA enforcement officers and stored at the government warehouse.

According to a statement issued by KRA on Tuesday, the suspect faces an alternative charge of negligence in preventing a felony.

He was arrested by immigration officers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) while attempting to travel to Qatar after authorities enforced a Departure Prohibition Order barring him from leaving the country.

The suspect was subsequently arraigned before Eldoret Senior Principal Magistrate Maureen Kesse, where he denied the charges.

The court denied him bond after the prosecution opposed his release, citing concerns that he was a flight risk.

If convicted, the accused faces a prison sentence of up to seven years.

In a separate incident involving the enforcement of tax regulations, another suspect was arraigned at Kabarnet Law Courts over possession of more than 270 litres of undenatured ethanol.

The accused faced charges relating to possession of 262.5 litres of undiluted and eight litres of diluted undenatured ethanol. The undiluted product had a tax implication of Sh362,223.

She was jointly charged with another suspect who is yet to be arraigned. The charges relate to possession of restricted goods contrary to the East African Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA), 2004, and handling excisable goods without a licence under the Excise Duty Act.

The accused appeared before Principal Magistrate Purity Koskey on October 28, 2026, and denied the charges.

She was released on a bond of Sh30,000 or an alternative cash bail of Sh20,000. The case is scheduled for hearing on December 16, 2026.

KRA warned that anyone convicted of the ethanol-related offences could face imprisonment of up to five years, a fine equivalent to 50 per cent of the dutiable value of the goods, or both, depending on the offence.

The authority said the two cases demonstrated its continued efforts to combat tax evasion, dismantle illegal trade networks, protect consumers from potentially harmful products and safeguard government revenue.

It reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening enforcement operations against individuals and businesses involved in the illegal handling of excisable goods.

KRA also urged members of the public to report suspected tax fraud, smuggling and other forms of revenue evasion, assuring informants that their information would be handled confidentially and their identities protected.

Suspected cases can be reported through the authority’s whistleblowing portal at https://iwhistle.kra.go.ke/welcome/ or by calling 020 4999 999 or 0711 099 999.

 by Ekuwam Sylvester