National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has indicated that charges leveled against him by Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, are not “entirely accurate.”
The MP and former Minister of Information has denied the charge of tax evasion.
Speaking to local radio station, JoyFM, Mr. Ayariga noted that “taxes on all the vehicles have been paid.
There is no tax owed on any of the vehicles…there is not even a 1 cedi tax owed on any of the vehicles.”
Amidu’s Charges
Mr. Amidu, a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General under the late Prof. Mills’ administration, has charged Mr. Ayariga with five counts for allegedly fraudulently evading tax and dealing in foreign currency without a license.
The MP has been charged with the fraudulent evasion of taxes, after he paid the duty of Gh¢6,000 when he imported three Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles instead of approved duty of Gh¢36,000.
Again, the MP is accused of selling the three Toyota vehicles which were purchased with a loan from Parliament meant for his use as a public officer to one Fredrich Marfo of Atlas Rent A Car.
Furthermore, Mr. Ayariga has also been charged with abuse of office as a public officer, for personal gain, as well as dealing in foreign exchange without a license and transferring money to an agent in Dubai, without a requisite license when he purchased the car.
But Mr. Ayariga has expressed shock over the charges.
According to him, it was no fault of his that Gh¢6,000 instead of Gh¢ 36,000 import duty was paid for the three Land Cruisers.
The embattled lawmaker argued that “when the vehicles came, Parliament wrote to Finance Ministry for exemption, Finance wrote to GRA granting the exemption and then assessed the exemption at 36,000 [cedis] then we gave the money to an agent to clear the vehicles.”
He said “when the agent got to the port, he was told that the assessment by the Finance Ministry was wrong and that it was 6,000 [cedis] so he paid that and brought the balance back. So when Martin Amidu started the investigations and invited me, I told him I never went to the port so [he should] invite the agent and ask him how he paid Gh¢ 6,000 instead of Gh¢ 36,000.”
Blame Port Authorities
Mr. Ayariga appears to be shifting blames on authorities at the Tema Port.
According to him, the port authorities should be questioned so they can clarify how an import duty of Gh¢ 6,000 was paid instead of Gh¢ 36,000 because he had no hand in it.
Source: Daily Guide
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Master go and defend yourself with facts at your disposal period.
Prove your case that it is false in the law courts not the public gallery. Period
Granted that you were given an exemption. Why did you sell the cars? and how much did you sell it for?
This SP Amidu is in a wild goose chase. is this the so called corruption case he can prosecute? 30,000.00 Cedis? If Ayariga pays GHc 6,000.00 instead of GHc 36,000.00, it the duty of the tax authorities to answer or impound the vehicles for the right duties to be paid. It looks as though the SP has nothing to prosecute. If anything at all, this case is best handle by a Magistrate court and not the whole powerful SP Amidu.
see his face corrupt MP how can you pay 6,000 for Land Cruiser. You don't know import duty for Land Cruiser? ***barred word*** they benefit from the system and still misbehave. Free Eduction Free MP, Free Loan to buy car and Rent a House, Free Minister thses people always eat from the public purse and all these stealing they do not do anything for the people in the NORTH. ***barred word***
If the substance in the story is true, then the case may most probably fail because it is not a matter for the SP. There are clear guidelines pointing to how suspected corruption cases can be referred to the SP for prosecution, the quantum of money concerned and others.
Why are the charges false. You claimed you paid GH¢6,000.00 instead of GH¢36,000.00, so how can the charges be false?
The Court doors are opened, go there and defend yourself than trending yourself on the media, you are a Th!!Ef, period