Justice Comfort Kwasiwor Tasiame, presiding judge at Criminal Court 4, has sentenced Mohammed Lamin, the Managing Director of Venus Oil Company Limited, to one month in prison for tax and levy evasion.
The sentence follows the company’s failure to remit substantial statutory taxes and levies to the state, including the Special Petroleum Tax, Energy Debt Recovery Levy, Road Fund Levy, and Energy Fund Levy tied to petroleum products handled by the company.
Lamin was found guilty of violating Section 80 of the Revenue Administration Act, 2016 (Act 915), with the total unpaid taxes and levies amounting to GH₵10,694,051.86 as of September 2021.
Case Overview
The prosecution, led by Joseph B. Owusu, represented the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the state institution responsible for tax assessment and collection in Ghana.
Venus Oil Company Limited, the first accused, is engaged in the transportation, distribution, storage, and retailing of petroleum products.
The court was informed that a review of the company’s tax records revealed significant defaults in its tax liabilities.
Despite multiple demand notices sent to the company to fulfill its obligations under tax laws, Lamin and Venus Oil failed to comply.
As a result of these violations, both the company and its Managing Director were served with a criminal summons to appear before the court to answer the charges against them.
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