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Kenya Revenue Authority [KRA] Commissioner General James Mburu when he appeared before National Assembly Public Investments Committee at parliament buildings on September 24, 2019. FILE PHOTO | NMG
KRA spying on bank accounts in tax probe
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is spying on bank accounts in an effort to crack down on tax cheats, a move that raises questions about the confidentiality of banking transactions.
Lawyers and accountants reckon that the taxman has stepped up its surveillance on bank accounts as it seeks to match the flow of cash against tax remittances.
While bankers deny that they have been sharing clients’ data with KRA in the absence of court orders, the taxman admits to having received financial account records from banks in its race to unearth tax cheats.
Bank clients have always believed that their account details are secret and beyond the prying eyes of the taxman.
“Data, whether bulk and specific, has often been sought from relevant institutions including banks,” said KRA commissioner for Domestic Taxes Elizabeth Meyo “Once obtained, the information is treated with strict confidentiality and only for the purpose for which it was sought.”
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is spying on bank accounts in an effort to crack down on tax cheats, a move that raises questions about the confidentiality of banking transactions.
Lawyers and accountants reckon that the taxman has stepped up its surveillance on bank accounts as it seeks to match the flow of cash against tax remittances.
While bankers deny that they have been sharing clients’ data with KRA in the absence of court orders, the taxman admits to having received financial account records from banks in its race to unearth tax cheats.
Bank clients have always believed that their account details are secret and beyond the prying eyes of the taxman.
“Data, whether bulk and specific, has often been sought from relevant institutions including banks,” said KRA commissioner for Domestic Taxes Elizabeth Meyo “Once obtained, the information is treated with strict confidentiality and only for the purpose for which it was sought.”