Court seals business premises over tax default in Abia

Business premises of three Aba based tax defaulters have been sealed indefinitely by the order of the Abia State High Court.

Not less than twenty others were in the past similarly sealed in the state in Aba and Umuahia, the state capital.

Chief Judge, Onuoha Ogwe ordered the sealings after hearing the suits filed by the Abia State Internal Revenue Service against the owners of the premises namely; Beta Homes Doors & Furniture Co. Ltd of 124 Aba-Owerri road, Tervine Guest House of 135 Okigwe road and Methrone Pharmaceuticals Nig. Ltd of 150 Azikiwe road all at Aba.

The court ruled that the trio respectively failed to mandatorily remit on demand to the state Revenue Service mandatorily, the sums of money representing the pay-as -you – earn taxes of their employees resident in the state, withholding taxes deducted from payments to individual suppliers of goods and services, State Development Levy, business premises levy, penalty and interest as per the demand Notice representing the periods as applicable to each of them.

The court held that Beta Homes failed to remit N6, 016, 386 from 2010 to 2015, Tervine Guest House N4, 564, 797. 60 for same 2010 to 2015 and Methrone Pharmaceuticals N 3, 055, 499.53 for 2006-2011 period and also awarded N30, 000 cost against each of trio in favor of the State Revenue Service.

Executive Chairman of the state Internal Revenue Service, Dr. Udochukwu Ogbonna said prosecution of tax defaulters has been invigorated and decried evasion and non-fulfillment of tax obligations by employers.

He lamented that many of the suits on tax defaults are pending at the designated courts whom he prayed to expedite action on and indicated that sealing of premises of defaulters if ordered by the courts would be executed promptly.

He consequently warned tax liable individuals and corporate organizations to fulfill their obligations accordingly to avoid prosecution and the consequences when pronounced guilty.