The Suva Magistrates Court has sentenced a businessman to 12 months imprisonment for failing to file Income Tax Returns and Value Added Tax returns.
The Ba Businessman, Suresh Prasad was facing six counts of failure to file Income Tax Returns and 13 counts of failing to file Value Added tax returns.
This is the first time a taxpayer has been given a jail term for failing to file tax returns.
While sentencing Prasad, Magistrate Jioji Boseiwaqa said that taxpayers who evade paying taxes should not expect any mercy from the court.
He says this sentence should be deterrent to any future offenders.
Meanwhile, Fiji Revenue and Customs Chief Executive Officer, Visvanath Das says this case is an example of how non‑compliant taxpayers will be dealt with under the law and this should be a disincentive to those who even think that they can get away with beating the tax system.
Das says with a strong emphasis on voluntary compliance this year, Revenue and Customs is now concentrating on taxpayers who have not been compliant with their obligations.
He adds given the low tax rates, and the economic buoyancy, if taxpayers continue to beat the tax system by being non‑compliant, they will have to face the full brunt of the law.
