Two Purma Holdings Limited directors, who were being sought in a Sh2.2 billion tax evasion case, on Wednesday evening escaped a police dragnet at a city hotel where they had been residing.

Mary Wambui Mungai and Purity Njoki Mungai fled from their hotel rooms minutes before Kenya police the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officers arrived at the hotel to arrest them.

On searching the hotel premises, KRA and police officers found personal items of the duo including cash, bank cards and car keys, confirming that the they were residing at the hotel.

Police later on Wednesday cordoned off the hotel as a search for the two suspects intensified.

A warrant of arrest was issued against the two directors on December 8 after they failed to appear before Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate, Felix Mutinda Kombo.

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They were expected to reply to eight counts of knowingly and unlawfully omitting taxes due in the income tax returns submitted to the Commissioner for 2014-2016 Domestic Taxes.

The court was informed that the two failed to honor summons to appear before KRA on December 3 to inform them of the charges against them and instead sent their accountant.

Through their lawyer Syvanus Osoro, Mungai informed the court that she was admitted in hospital from December 29 but failed to provide any evidence to back her allegations.

The court concurred with the prosecution that the accused were buying time instead of confronting the charges, which the court noted, are of great public interest and grave.

The case will be mentioned on December 14 or the earliest the accused will be arrested.