15 firms in container scandal violate 7 day presidential leeway

  TRA officials, implicated parties ordered to declare wealth

A total of 15 companies implicated in the 329 containers scandal at the Azam Inland Container Depot (ICD) are yet to pay their dues even as President John Magufuli’s seven day ultimatum expired last week (Dec 12).

According to the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) Acting Commissioner Philip Mpango the companies owe a total sum of Sh3.7 billion to the authority.

Speaking to reporters yesterday in Dar es Salaam, Dr Mpango said a crackdown will be unleashed soon to find management of the implicated companies and to bring them to justice.

“The companies were earlier supposed to pay the outstanding tax along with penalties but had they adhered to the seven day ultimatum offered by President Magufuli they would only the tax with no penalties,” he said.
“TRA has ordered Azam to make sure the owner of the ICD pays the owed tax on behalf of the defaulted firms because it is the Azam depot that was involved in the passage of the containers... the money will then be refunded to Azam after those companies paid their dues,” he went on to detail.

He named the companies as follows (owed amount  in brackets) Ahmed Saleh Tawredkariako Areadar (Sh59,237,578.40), CLA Tokyo Limited (Sh7,521,207.88), Farida Abdullah Salem (Sh75,334,871.85), Juma Kassem Abdul (Sh190,182,395.12) and Libas Fashion  (Sh52,943,245.78).

Others include Rushywheel Tyre Centre Co Ltd (Sh1,802,988,679.20), Said Ahmed Said (Sh68,362,558.31), Said Ahmed Said (Sh68,732,352.50), Salum Continental Co.Ltd (Sh151,178,616.36), Salum Link Tyres (Sh343,447,913.31).

Others are Simbo Yonah Kimaroadd (Sh69, 221,009.10), Snow Leopard Building Material Co,Ltd (Sh93,970,938.88), Swaleh Mohamed Swaleh (Sh34,687,165.00), Tybat Trading Co Limited (Sh598,690,271.90) and Nasir Saleh Mazrui (Sh70,105,873.77).

“TRA will continue to take legal action against all tax evaders and ensure the money owed to the authority is paid so that it could be channeled to development initiatives,” the TRA Acting Commissioner said.

“Due to the fact that the grace period for the tax evaders ended since 10 December, full legal action will now be taken against all who have failed to pay their taxes,” he asserted.

Summing up, Mpango directed all TRA officials and all those implicated in the container scandal to present detailed reports specifying their wealth to the Ethics Commission before 15th December.
“Those who fail to do so will face the full wrath of the law,” he warned.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY