Bollore Africa Logistics in tax evasion worth millions of shillings.

Bollore Africa Logistics company and  Stanford Osward Mmari face multiple charges over millions of Tanzania shillings in alleged tax  evasion and fraud in a criminal case No 38 0f 2015 , the resident magistrate court of Bukoba was told on Thursday.
 
The Public prosecutor and Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) lawyer Salvatory Sweet told the court that the duo made false declaration in the matter related to  the customs C/s 203 (b) of the East African Community Customs Management Act of 2004 and concerned in fraudulent evasion of payment of duty C/S 203 (e) of the East African Community Customs Management Act of 2004.
 
He said Bollore Africa Logistics Tanzania Limited, being an customs clearing and Forwarding Agent, and Stanford Osward  Mmari, being an employee of  the company, were charged on May 30 and May 31 2013 at Kabanga Customs Boarder Station in Ngara District, Kagera were in fraudulent evasion of payment of customs duties amounting to Sh278,305,202.12 on importation of 1,000 cartoons of Supermatch cigarettes.
 
“For the first count, the two are alleged to make a false statement that 1,000 cartoons of Supermatch cigarettes valued at $ 47,500 imported from Burundi loaded on a motor vehicle with registration Number T 640 CAZ/ T628 CAZ were in transit, being consigned to HARBEK Trading company of P.O Box 256 Juba-South Sudan. The cigarettes were not exported,” he said.
 
He added: “For the second count they declared in customs declaration form No. T304 that the said cigarettes were in transit, being consigned to Juba-South Sudan through Mutukula Customs Boarder stations.
 
“Whereas in  fact, the said cigarettes were not exported to Juba-South Sudan, instead they were diverted to domestic markets and consumed without payment of Customs Duties of Sh 278,305,202.12,” he told the resident magistrate’s court.
 
Only the first accused Stanford Oswald Mmari appeared but the public prosecutor told the court to provide arrest warrant to Bollore Logistics Company. According to the lawyer, the company is legal person.
 
However, the Bukoba resident Magistrate in-charge Chuma Wilbald asked the accused to provide a cash deposit to the court of about Sh159 million as court bail or irremovable property with value equivalent to the half of evaded customs duties.
 
The accused failed to meet the requirements and was taken to  custody until on August 6 2015, when the case comes up for mentioning for the second time, as investigation is  under way according to the public prosecutor.
SOURCE: IPPMEDIA

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