A Tax Court, a Division of the High Court established by the Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin Yeboah, has commenced the hearing of tax and its related offences in Accra.
The Court is presently located within the Supreme Court building and uses the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) to conduct proceedings on Fridays.
The Court is presided over by Justice Margaret Welbourne, a Court of Appeal Judge, sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court Judge.
The Tax Court commenced hearing on October 29, 2021, and the cases are being prosecuted by legal officers of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
More than 10 Companies have been charged with various offences, including failure to pay tax contrary to section 80 of the Revenue Administration Act, 2016 (Act 915) and making a false or misleading statement to the GRA.
These Companies, which evaded tax in various sums, totalling GHC553,036,269.47, had their representatives appear before the court and were granted bail in various sums.
The sanctions for these offences include attachment of assets and sale of the assets, imprisonment and personal liability on the respective Directors and Officers involved
The Companies are Orient Energy, Sky Petroleum, Maiga H.H.M Company Limited, M.M Energy & ANOR, Warren Oil, Union Oil, Titan Petroleum Company Limited and Hossana Oil Company Limited.
The rest are Sawiz Petroleum, Karela Oil Company limited, Humano Energy Company Limited, Q8 Oil Company Limited, Sephem Oil Company Limited, Mansell Ghana Limited and Monex Mining.
The cases were adjourned until December 17, 2021.
GNA