The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) launched the I-Whistle platform as a collaboration with members of the public to report tax cheats while keeping their identity 100 percent anonymous.
The taxman devised the method to help curb revenue leaks in the country achieved through tax evasion.
KRA assures Kenyans that as you report tax offenses, this site keeps your identity 100 percent anonymous.
The taxman has urged concerned and responsible members of the public to blow the whistle on individuals, organizations, companies, manufacturers who fail to remit taxes to the authority. These taxes include; Income tax, Pay as You Earn (PAYE), Value Added Tax (VAT), Import Duty, and Excise Duty.
KRA urges Kenyans to lift the lid on companies that withhold PAYE for the employees but does not remit to KRA and those that don't declare all their income despite making huge profits in tenders offered by the County Government and State corporations.
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Other offenses the taxman wants reported include; Bribery, Fraud, conflict of interest, abuse of office, concealment, and diversion of goods.
Anonymously Reporting the Crimes: Documents required
While anonymously reporting the crime, members of the public will be required to provide; financial records(Profit and Loss, Audited accounts), bank statements, bank details, paybill details, till numbers, pin number, location of the business or offender, and the mobile contacts of the violator.
Surety of Anonymity
The system will generate a unique identifier that you will use when following up on what you have reported. In case you forget your log in credentials please note that you will have to register all over again.
Reward for such information
The reward is dependent on the collection of revenue on tax fraud/Tax evasion schemes. The reward includes whichever is less of, 5 percent of the taxes or duties so recovered or Ksh 2 million per case (KRA Act cap 469 chapter 5A).
Duration of Investigations
KRA states that probes will take 60 working days for the completion timelines.
"Investigation/Auditing for collection of taxes can go beyond the above to a maximum of two years depending on the nature of the case," KRA states on the I-Whistle website.
Procedure for collecting rewards
If you seek to be rewarded then you forgo your anonymity. You will therefore be needed to provide your bank details and your personal details. You will also be required to fill IMF 001 form in duplicate.
Mechanism for whistleblower safety
KRA has revealed that it has collaborated with the witness protection agency to protect whistleblowers.
Addressing the offender
Once the violator is found guilty, KRA will embark on the collection of tax liabilities, asset recovery mechanisms, disciplinary action against staff, and prosecution of the offenders in case of fraud.
Channels for reporting corruption
The taxman further urges Kenyans to report graft by writing a letter to the Commissioner-General: To the Commissioner-General, Complains and Information Centre KRA, P.O Box 48240-00100 Nairobi.
Kenyans can also write an email to [email protected], [email protected] or call 0726 984 668/020 281 7700/020 281 7800.
