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Santorini Investments Limited and its directors have been levelled with a 112 counts charge of tax offenses amounting to over K18 million.
The accused persons are facing 112 counts of making false returns and statements contrary to section 43 and evasion of tax contrary to section 44 of the Value Added Tax (VAT), Chapter 331 of the Laws of Zambia.
This is according to a statement issued in Zambia’s capital Lusaka on Wednesday by Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) corporate communications manager Oliver Nzala.
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Nzala explained that the facts of the case are that Santorini Investments Limited and Victor Mwansa 33, on dates unknown but between September 1, 2018 and September 30, 2022 in the Kitwe district, jointly and whilst acting together, in purported compliance with the law provided information namely tax invoice numbers to ZRA, purporting to show that Santorini Investments Limited had been supplied with taxable supplies by various Copperbelt based companies which was false in material particular.
Further, Santorini Investments Limited and Victor Mwansa, on dates unknown but between September 1, 2018 and September 30, 2022 in Kitwe district jointly and whilst acting together, fraudulently recovered VAT amount of K18,854,068.56 and interest amount of K3,325,240.47.
Nzala said they provided false returns that taxable supplies were made to Santorini Investments Limited by various Copperbelt based companies in the period 2018 to 2022 when in fact not.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Court sitting in Kitwe on circuit from Lusaka adjourned the case for the accused persons to commence their defence.
“A number of companies are being prosecuted on the Copperbelt on charges of tax evasion, the Authority would like to inform the Taxpayers that it will not relent in its quest to enhance tax compliance through prosecution of perpetrators of tax crimes,” he said.
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