NamRA makes progress in fraudulent income tax refund scam

The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) has announced that significant progress has been made in the investigations of the fraudulent income tax refund scam that began in March 2022.

According to NamRA’s Chief of Strategic Communication and Support Engagements Yarukeekuro Ndorokaze in a media statement on Thursday, as of 18 July 2023, NamRA investigations had implicated a total of 1 168 taxpayers.

He said that the 1 168 taxpayers are employed at 84 institutions, encompassing private companies, government offices, ministries and agencies (OMAs), as well as public institutions.

“The total refund amount under scrutiny has increased from the initial amount of N.dollars 15 million in March 2022 to N.dollars 833 million, a substantial increase from the N.dollars 136 million reported in January this year,” Ndorokaze said.

Moreover, NamRA’s relentless efforts in the recovery process have yielded N.dollars 19.9 million through intensive recovery interventions, he said.

To date, 56 criminal cases have been registered with the Namibian Police Force, and only five suspects have been arrested and charged. More suspects are expected to be arrested in the coming weeks.

Ndorokaze said that NamRA remains unwavering in its commitment to enforce revenue laws and will thoroughly investigate any related malpractices.

As the investigations continue, NamRA will keep the public informed of further developments, he said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency