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Four Kenya Revenue Authority officers were among seven people charged in a Mombasa court in connection with a vehicle imports scandal.

Mr Stephen Karuma, Mr Geofrey Maina, Mr David Muli, and Mr Stephen Muriithi together with importers and clearing agents Peter Odhiambo, Yuda Venant, and Chrispus Zenge appeared before Mombasa chief magistrate Rosemelle Mutoka to answer 14 counts.

Were released

The seven denied all the charges and were released on a Sh800,000 bond each with a surety in the same amount.

The KRA officers were accused of making false customs and examination accounts entries in the Simba system to facilitate the release from the port of 32 imported vehicles that were over the prescribed age of eight years.

The four were also accused of abuse of office by allegedly conferring a benefit on an importer, Yuasa International Limited, and the clearing agents, Kaiser Agencies Limited.

They were said to have committed the offences between July 1 and 4 last year.

The four also faced a further charge of neglecting to inspect 32 imported vehicles to verify that they were not more than eight years old between July 1 and 3 last year.

Mr Odhiambo, Mr Venant, and Mr Zenge were alleged to have disobeyed the code of practice for inspection of vehicles by importing and clearing the 32 used cars that were over the age limit of eight years.

They were said to have committed the offence between June 2009 and July 3 last year. The hearing of the case was set for June 8 and 11.