Service sues 23 for evading tax payment in Kaduna

THE Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), on Tuesday sued 23 persons at a Kaduna Magistrates’ Court over evading tax payment.

Counsel to KDIRS, Francis Kozah told the court that the accused persons failed to pay their Personal Income Tax from 2013 to 2015.

He gave their names as Abubakar Mohammed, Mudayo Akintude, Shehu Lawal, Usman Wamdeco, Usman Abdulaziz, Mata Bot, Rabiu Inuwa, A. A. Bello, Ahmed Rabiu and Salisu Shehu.

Others are Abba Gana, Ya’u Mohammed, Musa Abdullahi, Sani Wamako, Suleiman Mamman, Ahmed El-Marziq, Clara Okoh, S. A. Moses, Hamisu Bello, Auwalu Yusuf, Jummai Yahaya, Ayorinde Akande and Fatima Mohammed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), report that 10 of the accused namely Abba Gana Ya’u Mohammed, Musa Abdulahi, Sani Wamako, Suleiman Ibraheem, Ahmed El-Marzug, S. A. Moses, Hamisu Bello, Awalu Yusuf and Ayorinde Akande were not in court.

Kozah explained that every tax payer was expected to file his tax returns at the beginning of every year.

According to him, the revenue service is empowered by law to use Best of Judgement to assess defaulters and serve them with the notice of the assessment.

“We have assessed and served them three notices, including a final notice but they still refused to pay.”

Kozah said the offense was criminal and punishable under Section 101(a&b) of the Kaduna State Tax Codification and Consolidation Law 2017.

He urged the court to compel the respondents to pay all outstanding tax owed the state.

He then applied for issuance of bench warrant for the 10 accused that failed to appear before the court.

Magistrate Ibrahim Musa granted the request and adjourned the matter till May 30 for further mention.