News / National
Zimra accused of corruption
14 Jun 2015 at 13:44hrs | Views
THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) in Bulawayo is embroiled in a scandal, where a local school uniform retail company is accusing the revenue authority of corruption, misconduct and abuse of authority, after some Zimra officials allegedly tried to solicit for a bribe from the company.
The company, Totally Uniforms, is also accusing Zimra of instigating an illicit audit as punishment for refusing to bribe the officials. The company also claims that some of their financial records had since gone missing.
Totally Uniforms managing director Mr Nkani Khoza said they had since reported the matter to the police and had also sought an audience with higher authorities at Zimra.
He, however, claimed that the matter was taking way too long to conclude on the part of Zimra, as he suspected they could be trying to sweep it under the carpet.
Sunday News is in possession of dated and stamped communication between Totally Uniforms and Zimra concerning the issue.
"It has been almost five months since we have been requesting an audience to sort out this issue with Zimra to no avail We have written several letters to them, to which they respond by telling us that the matter is being handled. It has dragged on for long enough and perhaps the best way to get them to sort it out is through exposing them," said Mr Khoza.
He said sometime between January and February this year they received calls from Zimra officials demanding money from them or risk being audited.
"We received several calls from some rogue Zimra officials early this year. One of them had the audacity to claim that his father had passed away at St Lukes Hospital and wanted money to cover funeral expenses. He gave us a number where he told us to transfer into his EcoCash, which we declined to do.
"Some days after we declined to deposit the money as demanded, the Zimra audit department called us and we gladly told them they could come through for an audit, which they did. Surprisingly this audit took longer than a normal audit, as they wanted to know the source of the funds to finance our business start-up. We believe they really were not interested in auditing but wanted to victimise us for refusing to bribe them," he said.
Mr Khoza further alleged that there were two gentlemen (names supplied) that called him several times with a number which he had since forwarded to the revenue authority.
"We showed them the mobile number of one of their colleagues and they professed ignorance. To our surprise the following day, after they came to our offices the number was no longer in use. We believe that it is highly likely there is some sort of collaboration. We have several times raised our concern with Zimra but all they do is tell us that they are looking into the matter and that they want our financial statements, which we gave them," he said, referring to one of the letters he sent to the revenue authority.
Mr Khoza also said that he suspected that the and we gladly told them they could come through for an audit, which they did. Surprisingly this audit took longer than a normal audit, as they wanted to know the source of the funds to finance our business start-up. We believe they really were not interested in auditing but wanted to victimise us for refusing to bribe them," he said.
Mr Khoza further alleged that there were two gentlemen (names supplied) that called him several times with a number which he had since forwarded to the revenue authority.
"We showed them the mobile number of one of their colleagues and they professed ignorance. To our surprise the following day, after they came to our offices the number was no longer in use. We believe that it is highly likely there is some sort of collaboration. We have several times raised our concern with Zimra but all they do is tell us that they are looking into the matter and that they want our financial statements, which we gave them," he said, referring to one of the letters he sent to the revenue authority.
Mr Khoza also said that he suspected that the investigating police officer in the matter may have been compromised.
"The policeman assigned to this case now appears dodgy. He was assigned to get call records from Econet from the dates we gave him but he is telling us that the network provider erased the information and it is unavailable. How is that even possible? I think he may have been compromised by someone from Zimra," he said.
Responding to Totally Uniforms request for an audience and investigation into the matter one of the Zimra officials, a E Maguranyanga wrote in response: "I make reference to my letters 14 March 2015 and 20 March 2015 and your letter dated 19 March 2015. In my letter dated 14 March 20151 advised that investigations into the alleged bribery case are in progress. I also indicated that a challenge was encountered in obtaining the details of the registered owner of the telephone number that you said was used to call you. The telephone provided requires that I produce a court order authorising the release of information to me.
"This is a process that requires me to consult my legal division to process the court application. Further I requested you, through the police to assist in obtaining the registered name of the subscriber and a detailed printout of the calls made by the telephone line in question.**
Contacted for comment, the police officer handling the matter said he had failed to obtain a print-out of the calls made to Totally Uniforms by the supposed Zimra officials.
"I failed to get a print-out, as I was told the system periodically erases data. The case is incomplete, as we were and are still handling it as a fraud case. However, in this case there was no actual exchange of cash so we are still investigating the matter," he said.
Efforts to get a comment from the revenue authority for the past four weeks have proved fruitless.
The company, Totally Uniforms, is also accusing Zimra of instigating an illicit audit as punishment for refusing to bribe the officials. The company also claims that some of their financial records had since gone missing.
Totally Uniforms managing director Mr Nkani Khoza said they had since reported the matter to the police and had also sought an audience with higher authorities at Zimra.
He, however, claimed that the matter was taking way too long to conclude on the part of Zimra, as he suspected they could be trying to sweep it under the carpet.
Sunday News is in possession of dated and stamped communication between Totally Uniforms and Zimra concerning the issue.
"It has been almost five months since we have been requesting an audience to sort out this issue with Zimra to no avail We have written several letters to them, to which they respond by telling us that the matter is being handled. It has dragged on for long enough and perhaps the best way to get them to sort it out is through exposing them," said Mr Khoza.
He said sometime between January and February this year they received calls from Zimra officials demanding money from them or risk being audited.
"We received several calls from some rogue Zimra officials early this year. One of them had the audacity to claim that his father had passed away at St Lukes Hospital and wanted money to cover funeral expenses. He gave us a number where he told us to transfer into his EcoCash, which we declined to do.
"Some days after we declined to deposit the money as demanded, the Zimra audit department called us and we gladly told them they could come through for an audit, which they did. Surprisingly this audit took longer than a normal audit, as they wanted to know the source of the funds to finance our business start-up. We believe they really were not interested in auditing but wanted to victimise us for refusing to bribe them," he said.
Mr Khoza further alleged that there were two gentlemen (names supplied) that called him several times with a number which he had since forwarded to the revenue authority.
Mr Khoza also said that he suspected that the and we gladly told them they could come through for an audit, which they did. Surprisingly this audit took longer than a normal audit, as they wanted to know the source of the funds to finance our business start-up. We believe they really were not interested in auditing but wanted to victimise us for refusing to bribe them," he said.
Mr Khoza further alleged that there were two gentlemen (names supplied) that called him several times with a number which he had since forwarded to the revenue authority.
"We showed them the mobile number of one of their colleagues and they professed ignorance. To our surprise the following day, after they came to our offices the number was no longer in use. We believe that it is highly likely there is some sort of collaboration. We have several times raised our concern with Zimra but all they do is tell us that they are looking into the matter and that they want our financial statements, which we gave them," he said, referring to one of the letters he sent to the revenue authority.
Mr Khoza also said that he suspected that the investigating police officer in the matter may have been compromised.
"The policeman assigned to this case now appears dodgy. He was assigned to get call records from Econet from the dates we gave him but he is telling us that the network provider erased the information and it is unavailable. How is that even possible? I think he may have been compromised by someone from Zimra," he said.
Responding to Totally Uniforms request for an audience and investigation into the matter one of the Zimra officials, a E Maguranyanga wrote in response: "I make reference to my letters 14 March 2015 and 20 March 2015 and your letter dated 19 March 2015. In my letter dated 14 March 20151 advised that investigations into the alleged bribery case are in progress. I also indicated that a challenge was encountered in obtaining the details of the registered owner of the telephone number that you said was used to call you. The telephone provided requires that I produce a court order authorising the release of information to me.
"This is a process that requires me to consult my legal division to process the court application. Further I requested you, through the police to assist in obtaining the registered name of the subscriber and a detailed printout of the calls made by the telephone line in question.**
Contacted for comment, the police officer handling the matter said he had failed to obtain a print-out of the calls made to Totally Uniforms by the supposed Zimra officials.
"I failed to get a print-out, as I was told the system periodically erases data. The case is incomplete, as we were and are still handling it as a fraud case. However, in this case there was no actual exchange of cash so we are still investigating the matter," he said.
Efforts to get a comment from the revenue authority for the past four weeks have proved fruitless.
Source - Sunday News
