Three persons have been nabbed by the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service for allegedly impersonating it officials and collecting revenue from unsuspecting citizens and shop owners across the state.
In a statement made available to Nigerian Tribune in Awka, at the weekend, by the Head, Taxpayer Education and Enlightenment Team of the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, Mrs Sylvia Tochukwu Ngige, further disclosed that the suspects were charged for other offences which included falsification and counterfeiting of receipts bearing Anambra State Government.
The statement reads that “the Magistrate Court 3 of Awka Magisterial District holden before His Worship N. C. Anyaegbunam between the Attorney General of Anambra State, Anambra State Board of Internal Revenue and three defendants namely: Messrs Israel Ofozie, Chukwujekwu Ezike, Anthony Uzochukwu was held at Awka magistrate court, Amawbia.
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“In a charge No. MAW/ANGAS/24C/2020, the three defendants were arraigned on a 5 count charge of offence they committed on the 12th day of February 2020 within Awka Magisterial District that include impersonation as Revenue Collectors for Anambra State and in an attempt collected from persons and shops Revenue due to Anambra State or Local Government council thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 66(1) of the Anambra State Revenue Administration Law 2010 and punishable under same Law.
“Other charges include connivance to contravene the provisions of Anambra State Revenue Administration Law 2010 contrary to Section 65 of the State Revenue Administration Law 2010 and attempted to collect or collected Liquor License contrary to Section 97(d) of the Law 2010.
“They were also charged with falsification, counterfeiting of receipts and documents with the name of Anambra State Government in order to collect Revenue from persons/shops thereby committing an offence contrary to section 62(a), (b), (c) of the State Revenue Administration Law 2010.
“The three defendants were also charged with collecting monies for Liquour license from person/shops in the name of Anambra State Government, an act which they were not entitled to do or procured to be done in their own authority and which was done for an unlawful purpose thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 66(2) of the Law 2010 and punishable by same law.
“After hearing the count charges, the suspects pleaded not guilty to the offences and were equally bailed with 2 sureties in the likes of Civil Servants with Grade Level 12, and the case was adjourned till the 10th day of March 2020 for further hearing.”
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