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ZRA Is Trying To Stop The POST From Publishing, It’s Not TAX They Are After – Zulu
ZAMBIA Revenue Authority officers yesterday again raided Post Newspapers Limited with a view to shutting down its operations under the guise of searching for concealed tax evasion information.
But Post Newspapers general manager-finance Rowena Zulu said it was clear that the authority was not looking for any tax evasion documents, but was trying to stop the newspaper from publishing.
Meanwhile, tempers flared during the search when Henry Phiri, a lead investigations officer, told journalists not to interrupt his work after they demanded to know where exactly he was coming from and the names and occupation of the officers that accompanied him. Eight officers claiming to be from ZRA, accompanied by two armed state police officers, arrived at The Post’s Bwinjimfumu offices and its courier headquarters in the light industrial area around 10:00 hours with search warrants authorising them to search for ICT equipment, desktop computers, laptops, and servers, business records, purchase and sales daybooks, cash books and any other account books, among other things. Some of the officers positioned themselves at different points within the newspaper premises, searching employees who were entering or leaving the IT department, while others raided the accounts department, where they seized computers and accounts records.
According to the search warrant, the documents ZRA was looking for were used by Post Newspapers Limited to evade the payment of Value Added Tax and Income Tax. “Henry Phiri of Zambia Revenue Authority has this day made information on oath that he has reasons to believe that on dates unknown but between January 1, 2010 and October 31, 2015, the following documents and ICT equipment: business records, purchase and sales daybooks, cash books and other account books, purchase invoices and sales invoices, annual accounts, bank statements and other banking records, VAT account, personal records, documents, diaries of directors, import documents, desktop computers, laptops, servers, etc and any other such documents and ICT equipment related to the business or its operation were used by Post Newspapers Limited to evade the payment of Value Added Tax and Income Tax and that he has reasonable cause to suspect and does suspect that these documents, or some of them, are concealed in the business premises of Post Newspapers Limited situated at 36 Bwinjimfumu Road, Rhodes Park, Lusaka,” read the warrant in part.
When Phiri and his team arrived, Zulu informed him that there was a court order restraining ZRA from conducting any tax investigation at The Post. But the ZRA officials refused to comply, saying they had their own warrant authorising them to conduct a search.
At that point, Post Newspapers security officers sought clearance to remove Phiri and his team out of the office premises, but the ZRA official quickly made a phone call, demanding his gun because he felt he was not safe, a statement which forced Post accounts staff to flee their offices. When Zulu asked Phiri why he was calling for a gun, he responded, “You don’t know the genesis of this matter.” Later, Phiri and his officers forcefully started searching through company bank records, computer hard drives and other files. At around 16:30 hours, Phiri had taken an inventory of files and computers and demanded that he goes with all laptops for senior managers at the accounts department.
Zulu tried to reason with Phiri that taking away computers would paralyse operations of the department, but the ZRA official was uncompromising. At about 18:00 hours, Phiri grabbed two HP ProBook computers and power packs, Post Internet Services Project financial statements, Black Box management file records, and Management Accounts summaries, among other documents and gadgets.
While this was happening at Bwinjimfumu offices, the investigators who had raided the courier, logistics and printing departments in the industrial area also seized computers and company files, including a personal Apple Mac laptop and external memory flash for general manager logistics and courier, Gerald Moyo. The officers, led by Samuel Kataya, also raided Post Newspapers senior general manager Sheikh Chifuwe’s office and demanded to conduct a search on his laptop, a move that disappointed the officers as they only found eight documents on his computer. Earlier, during a search of office documents at Bwinjimfumu offices in Zulu’s office, Phiri angered journalists from The Post, Muvi TV, Radio Phoenix, Prime TV, Joy FM and Hot FM after he told them not to interfere with his work. The journalists were demanding to know Phiri’s details and the names of the officers that he was with. “It’s not necessary; there is a name on that [warrant] paper. Don’t disturb me, don’t disturb us. I am not even supposed to talk to you.
I am just being kind. Allow us to do our job,” shouted Phiri. But one of the journalists told Phiri that the reporters were also doing their work. “We don’t need your ‘kindness’ here. This is a professional job we are doing. We are also doing our job just like you, so just give us your names. We don’t need your kindness here, let’s engage professionally. Ifyo fine ulebomba inchito yobe, naifwebena efyo tulebomba (the same way you are doing your job, we too are working). You can’t come here and intimidate us,” said the journalist. After Post Newspapers Limited lawyers Sashi and Nchima Nchito arrived, they informed Phiri that they would commence contempt proceedings against ZRA. “This is in total disregard of a High Court stay that The Post obtained, which is still valid. Let’s just be clear; last time we told you we got a court order. How then have we moved from that position? We are at a loss to understand that. Your people that side [industrial area] are saying they are done and there are no books of accounts there, so they are waiting for your instructions. Anyway, we will commence contempt proceedings because ZRA is insisting. There’s nothing we can do,” said Nchito.
But Phiri said officers that searched the premises knew where the instructions were coming from. “They know where the instructions will come from. We have instructions from our legal team to search. We are looking for books of accounts from where we are standing. We don’t know where you keep your books of accounts. People have more than one place where they keep their books,” said Phiri.
Later, Zulu said ZRA was not looking for tax evasion records but was simply out to paralyse the operations of the newspaper by taking away computers and other equipment under the guise of tax evasion investigations. “We have never had any queries from the Zambia Revenue Authority about any tax evasion in the last 24 years this newspaper has been in operation. We are shocked that the Zambia Revenue Authority can today say they believe The Post is evading taxes. Which taxes? Yes, there may be some delays in the payment of some taxes and sometimes even disagreements over how certain transactions should be treated. But that does not amount to tax evasion in any way,” Zulu said. She said there was no case of tax evasion that anyone could, in all honesty, bring against The Post. “And it is not tax evasion that the Zambia Revenue Authority is seeking. They are simply out to paralyse the operations of this newspaper by taking away computers and other equipment under the guise of tax evasion investigations and bring our operations to a halt. Their aim is simply to close this newspaper. And they will stop at nothing in their attempts to do that,” said Zulu.
“The Post is not a criminal organisation run by criminals. Whatever has been done here has been done with sufficient honour and integrity. Let them not hide their evil intentions under some false tax evasion investigations.” The ZRA officers left the newspaper premises at about 18:45 hours
Posted by Staffreporter
on December 11, 2015. Filed under HEADLINES.
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New Educated Zambia©❤√
December 11, 2015 at 3:52 pm
Lol zra are being used by ka lungu because he know he is losing. How can the revenue authority itself to searching for tax evasion document. They should have the capacity to follow this month by month basis and am sure should have records om their side as evidence l. This does not sit right with me. I wouldn’t be surprised if lungu planted cocaine at post offices. Foolish man
Mwendanjangula
December 11, 2015 at 4:00 pm
Fools they have never heard of virtual drives and machines.
Onyx power @vampiros
December 11, 2015 at 4:04 pm
This is good news for upnd and great news for zambians because this is what they told ecl to do for them. If ecl fails we will ask another president after him to get back out money simple. Now can hh face Fred?
IF NOT
December 11, 2015 at 4:23 pm
mm’mbe is still reaping for his arrogance and false reporting on various issues affecting the economy. Where is the cartel now?
chris
December 11, 2015 at 4:38 pm
A confirmed document has been obtained which shows correct statistics of University of Zambia students who are HIV/ AIDS positive.
According to the document, 80% are female students while 4% are male.
Last recruitment at the University of Zambia showed that only 79 percent of students were positive.
This means that 2015 has increased the number by 5% adding to 84% of students being on ARVs.
The increase in the number is mostly because of the increase in the level of promiscuity at the Campus. Also the levels of poverty in the nation has forced students especially females to find quicker ways of earning money like having sugar daddies.
“I know a lot of my female classmates who are frequently in the midst of Sugar Daddies every other day after classes and they juggle university life with scores of heavy pocketed older men who provide them with money for keep up and expensive gadgets.
Parents should be suspicious whenever they see their daughters come back looking better with expensive clothes and gadgets when they go back home during school breaks. They should wonder how this new change in lifestyle comes about,” Namfukwe, a fourth year medical student said.
It has also been reported that there are anonymous female students who are prostituting on Campus.In a named dormitory, with the right amount of money, one can get any sexual services they desire.
It has also come to our attention that there is a Sect at UNZA Campus ran by female students, which has vowed and is on a mission to infect all UNZA students and Lecturers with the virus.
Sources close to the Sect have disclosed that the main founder of the promiscuous group was infected by a named University Lecturer who demanded sex in exchange for good grades. Since then she vowed to mobilize other students in similar positions to punish anyone who cant abstain from sex.
We therefore warn UNZA students and the general public to be careful and abstain or use a condom.
by zed corner
Judge Joe Bidden
December 11, 2015 at 4:39 pm
Its not only shocking but sad too, how have we reached this stage of intimidation in Zambia? How can one go for “TAX papers collection” with guns blazing? President Edgar Chagwa Lungu will one day taste his medicine, he is not indispensable. He should be ashamed the same policemen he is sending to suppress the opposition will one day lift him up for police cells, mark my words 2016 is not far. Ati prayers of reconciliation in the country my phncking foot! You will try all the methods, if time is up its up.
Czar
December 11, 2015 at 5:11 pm
So The Post is “opposition”. I thought it is “non partisan”
Judge Joe Bidden
December 11, 2015 at 5:25 pm
Whats to oppose? Did I say OPPOSITION PARTIES or anyone that opposes Edgar? Thats a problem when you start creating your own street nomenclature. Chagwa is after everyone who opposes him, but that route wont help him. His dooms day is nigh.
Czar
December 11, 2015 at 6:53 pm
“The opposition” is not the same as “to oppose”. One can “oppose” without being “the opposition”.
jebo
December 11, 2015 at 4:45 pm
phiri is going against court’s order. he might b send by a dirt powerful hand of caderish type of person, to go against the law. zambia is bcoming dirt battle ground.
Manix
December 11, 2015 at 4:48 pm
JJB what ever shit you call your self ECL is not losing in 2016 you think Zambians sre fools to vote for your freemanson HH.Mmembe has himself to blame he thinks he is god becuase of his ka stupid newspaper?Let him just pay the TAXES then he will be left alone very soon he will be bankrupt because of the huge legal bills he is accummulating at a fast rate.
Judge Joe Bidden
December 11, 2015 at 5:27 pm
If its suits you… but its game over.
mailos
December 11, 2015 at 6:31 pm
I am a Zambian and not a fool. I will never vote for economy destroying, freedom denying and hunger producing EC Lungu and PF.
Judge Joe Bidden
December 11, 2015 at 6:49 pm
These chaps thinks insulting us will earn them another term – I am proudly saying wait and see, their frustration will grow “louder” towards elections.
voter banda
December 11, 2015 at 7:58 pm
Its not right to insult but i issues with you ba upnd.when the post was in good books na pf hh use to shout the loudest that mmembe should pay back the 18 billion to zambians today you’re without shame defending him even for not paying the tax man what kind of people are you?
mailos
December 11, 2015 at 6:56 pm
I am a Zambian and not a fool. I will never vote for economy destroying, freedom denying and hunger producing EC Lungu and PF.
PF zwa zealously!!!
The Spartacus
December 11, 2015 at 5:36 pm
This isn’t fair, ba pf always trying to use govt machinery to settle personal scores. That’s y this nation will never develop bcoz of people like lungu who ar so retrogresive in mind..ifyabupubafye
Ndanje kakhs
December 11, 2015 at 5:47 pm
Just pay tax and you’re free. Ukutanfya Lunshi kunya pabili
Wanyafye Tigers FC
December 11, 2015 at 6:11 pm
Why should paying tax or getting tax relief be political? Give to Caesar….Jesus knew this well.
A taxable employee pays PAYE upfront; s/he is not given the opportunity to remit by him/herself. Yet companies like Post, when show some trust by ZRA to say bring the tax yourself, they chew the money and cry wolf when push to shove.
Pay the tax muthafunkers.
Czar
December 11, 2015 at 6:52 pm
“ashamed the same
policemen he is sending to
suppress the opposition “. That is not the same to “those who oppose..”.
gumu gumu
December 11, 2015 at 7:53 pm
With or without z post PF is sinking , miners are waiting 4 U edigar the post doesn’t vote .
kakolwe
December 11, 2015 at 10:38 pm
Do mines vote??
jimpunda
December 11, 2015 at 8:56 pm
I hav just recieved un cofirmed report that our deputy party sec general is died, coming to the post story gvt and its agents must act using brain not using their heart to avoid what has happened this power failures [pf] and their agent bwafya bweka bweka mailo balitunta kantudu pa post lelo icilye cabeba ukubwekeshamo, bushe namailo mukabwekelako ku post mwa?.
kakolwe
December 11, 2015 at 10:40 pm
Who or what is you general secretary?
Stop assuming that we know you!
Critical Analyser
December 11, 2015 at 9:25 pm
Which miners iwe pumbwe
NONEPARTZAN
December 11, 2015 at 10:49 pm
Blind Folded Post Thy Support Winter Who Wont Even Be Number 4 In 2016 I Wish Thy Were Supporting Moses Wanomba.Aleisa Aleisa!!! Gnite Zambia