By Robin-Lee Francke 
8m ago
Cape Town – The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks has arrested an Eastern Cape man for alleged tax fraud against the South African Revenue Service (Sars).
The Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in East London arrested Thembile Mbalo and his company, Themba Cartage and Construction, on the fraud charges on Thursday, Hawks provincial spokeswoman Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said in a statement on Friday.
Mbalo, who is the director of the company, allegedly submitted an input value-added tax return claim to SARS in July 2013, to the value of more than R233 000, which the agency paid out after an assessment.
After the payment, the revenue service subjected the tax status of the company to an audit which showed that the invoices submitted for claims where forged and that the supplies mentioned were never received.
SARS then lodged a complaint with the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigataion team, leading to the arrest of Mbalo, Mgolodela said.
Mbalo and the company made a brief appearance at the East London magistrate’s court on the same day of the arrest.
The suspects were released on a warning.
“The fraudulent claim prejudiced SARS cash to the value of more than R233 000,” Mgolodela said. The case was postponed until July 1.
African News Agency (ANA)
Credit IOL