Melo News | Thursday, April 11, 2024 | Kitwe
Liangyung Company Limited and Justin Chikwanda faced criminal charges in the Copperbelt Province. They appeared in court on April 9, 2024, at the Economic and Financial Crimes Courts in Kitwe to begin their trial.
The case involved the accused providing false information to the Zambia Revenue Authority, claiming that Liangyung Company Limited had received taxable supplies from Wise Focus Mining Limited between June and December 2022. This led to a loss of over K3.2 million in government revenue.
During the trial, the accused expressed their intention to utilize the provisions of the Plea of Negotiations Act Number 20 of 2010. The State agreed to this on the condition that the accused paid the evaded Value Added Tax in full and refunded the State for the costs incurred in prosecuting the case.
The accused promptly paid the required amounts to the Zambia Revenue Authority. They admitted guilt, leading to the court convicting them. Liangyung Company Limited was fined K12,000, while Justin Chikwanda was fined K5,000. Failure to pay these fines would result in warrants of distress being issued.
Following the conviction, ZRA’s corporate communications manager, Oliver Nzala, stated that the Authority had increased its monitoring efforts to detect tax fraud. He warned that all taxpayers found guilty of fraudulent activities would face prosecution in accordance with the law.
