The BGC International DMCC Ghana Limited who allegedly evaded tax totaling GH₵21, 948,165.45, has been sued by the Ghana Revenue Authority(GRA).
The company’s tax liability for the period 2016 to 2018 is made up of withholding tax, directors Pay As You Earn (PAYE), income tax and accrued interest.
The GRA, the institution responsible for assessing, collecting, and accounting for taxes and levies has sued the company before the Accra High Court and joined AkoliyaVinodkumarMaganbhai and AkoliyaVisarambhaiNaranbhai, director and chairman as defendants.
Appearing before Justice Margaret Melborne, a Court of Appeal judge, sitting with additional responsibility as a high court judge, the prosecutor, Rebecca Eduafo-Abraham, Assistant Revenue Officer said GRA carried out tax audit on the company for the period 2016 to 2018.
She said personnel of the GRA established total tax liability of GH₵21,948,165.45 made up of withholding tax, directors PAYE, corporate income tax and accrued interest against BGC International Ghana Limited.
The court heard that the company was a taxpayer registered with the Ghana Revenue Authority and is into refining and export of precious metals.
MsEduafo-Abraham said the company in a letter dated February 19, 2020, authorised the national security coordinator to pay to the GRA the sum of GH₵1,070,415.79 for the company’s outstanding corporate tax and PAYE.
The prosecutor told the court that BCG International Ghana Limited had so far paid GH₵C64,000.00 leaving an outstanding liability of GH₵21,884,165.45.
Following that, she said a garnishee order served on the bankers of the company yielded just over GH₵2,000.00
MsEduafo-Abraham said several demands were made on the accused to get the company pay the outstanding tax liability.
However, the accused had failed to honour their obligations to the state.
The prosecutor told the court that the accused were consequently served with criminal summons to appear before the court to answer the charge preferred against them.
The accused were granted GH one million Ghana cedis bail each, two sureties, one to be justified
The court ordered them to deposit their passport with the Registrar.
The case has been adjourned to May 11.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
