Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji has accused businessman and tycoon Humphrey Kariuki gagged of seeking public sympathy in a tax evasion case.
The DPP now wants the court to bar the businessman from addressing members of the press or social media over the case in court.
Through Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Vincent Monda, Haji said that he is evidence to prosecute the businessman, adding that it doesn’t make sense for him to continue addressing the press at a time he should be preparing to defend himself in court over the allegations levelled against him by the government of the day.
He questioned why Kariuki failed to raise certain issues during the hearing at the trial magistrate’s court only to start using media to air his areas of dissatisfaction.
His lawyers Kioko Kilukumi and Cecil Miller, however, said that the press conference had been planned, adding that the tycoon had done nothing unlawful as suggested by the DPP.
Kariuki, who is accused of evading tax payment amounting to Sh41 billionaire has maintained that he is innocent.
He has insisted that his woes are driven by malicious persons who want to bring him down.
He was arrested and charged in court before he was released on a cash bail of Sh11 million or a bond of Sh20 million after he denied the allegations levelled against him by the state.