The Standard Times Newspaper reveals that it is unarguable and un-debated, only negotiations with the National Revenue Authority (NRA) can remedy the situation or rescue the Easy Solar Company either from prosecution or closure of the doors of the company to prevent entries of customers and workers.
In a show of pride and boastfulness, the CEO, Eric Silverman on May 18th 2022 wrote a letter to the Commissioner General “We would like to state emphatically that Easy Solar is a reputable Company. Our books are closely scrutinized by the international investors who have invested in the Company, and also audited every year by a reputable firm with international affiliation” Little did he realize before putting pen to paper that his company is hugely Indebted to the National Revenue Authority. “We are requesting that you investigate these allegations as Easy Solar is open and transparent with regards to its financial information especially when it comes to taxes, and we would like to put these defamatory allegations to rest as soon as possible, He added. It may sound very ridiculous for the Chief Executive Officer to learn that a task force has been put together of selected officials at the National Revenue Authority to conduct an intensive audit exercise, commencing from 2016 to the end of 2021. The result according to an insider would be very devastating as the outstanding tax liability including penalty of over Le919Million is yet unsettled.
Reports show that the Easy Solar Company has been paying bits and pieces of the Company various tax obligations. Tax filed audit liability for the period 1st January 2017 to 31st December, 2018(corporation and payes taxes) and 1st January 2017 to 31st December 2019 (withholding and payroll taxes) have produced alarming figures that have not been fully paid by the company. Last Thursday, 26th May, 2022 a team of NRA officials visited the company and informed its officials that a robust audit will soon be conducted; therefore they needed the fullest cooperation of workers at the company. One significant problem with Easy Solar that is eating deep into the fabric of the company is the
lack of proper filling facility. This has hindered the effective operation and proper documentation of all activities of the company for the past six years in existence.
In response to the 18th May, 2022 bogus letter sent to the National Revenue Authority, the Tax Consultant of the Company 5. Mr. Alfred Akibo Betts reportedly warned the 2 CEO not to have written such a letter to the Authority. It could be recalled that Alfred Akibo aBetts of “Betts Tax Firm” was an employee of the National Revenue Authority where he took an oath prior to his employment.
At the end of his service, he was required to stay away for two years prior to doing any tax work for any company or organization, but sources say he violated the oath and other restrictions, which would make him liable to prosecution if the National Revenue Authority is to institute legal action against Easy Solar for tax fraud or tax al evasion.
The definition of tax fraud could late to being deliberate in an attempt to evade taxes or to defraud the National Revenue Authority (NRA) by Easy Solar in a wilful manner in failing to pay the taxes owed to the authority or wilfully failing to file tax returns to the National Revenue Authority (NRA).
It may also be argued that Easy Solar was in contravention of tax evasion. That is, the company illegally has non-payment record to the authority, or if there is any, it was underpaying taxes usually by deliberately making false declarations or no declaration to the tax authorities-such as by declaring less income, profits or gains than the amounts actually earned or overstating deductions.
In summation, this could entail criminal or civil legal penalties against the Easy Solar Company. Rather than trying to settle its backlog payments to the National Revenue Authority, Easy Solar was busy paying newspaper editors last week to retract publications made by the Standard Times Newspaper and even went to the extent of paying the law firm KMK to write a letter to the Newspaper Office(more to come)