LAWYERS, MANAGING DIRECTORS of companies and a cross-section of other business people appeared in court yesterday charged with failing to file income tax returns.
And out of the 26 summoned, three, including a gynaecologist, were ordered arrested and brought after they were personally served with summonses, by marshals, but did not appear in court.
The charging of the 26 follows the Inland Revenue Department decision to crack down on people who have failed to comply with income tax regulations.
Some of the 26 were before Acting Magistrate Manila Renée in the District “A” Magistrates’ Court where they were accused that being people who carried on businesses in various income years and who were required by Section 52 (1) of the Income Tax Act to deliver to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue in the prescribed form a return of his (for those accused in a personal capacity) or of its (for those charged as principals of a company) assessable income for the said income, together with such additional information, they failed to file the said returns.
Principal Crown Counsel Anthony Blackman asked that warrants be issued for Camille Hope, Maurice Smith and Clarence Fergusson, after the court realised that each of them was personally served with summonses to appear but did not.
Another man, Anthony White, was summonsed with a warning, while two of the matters against attorney Ona Harewood were discontinued after it was proven that she was studying overseas for two of the years for which she was charged.
She still faces two charges.
Information that another accused, Daphne Adderley had left the island prompted the acting magistrate to comment: “We need to do like Trinidad and make people get a tax clearance before they leave the island. We may need to tie it to people as they come and go,” she said.
Meanwhile, one accused stressed that he did not have anything to file and called the situation “extremely stressful”.
Those who appeared had their matters adjourned; some will reappear on June 10; others on May 13 and one on May 6.
THOSE BEFORE THE COURT:
THOSE ACCUSED OF FAILING to file income tax, either personal or as representatives of a business, for various years are:
Daphne Adderley – four charges.
DaCosta Brathwaite – eight charges.
Trevor Browne – five charges.
Pauline Cato – four charges.
Gregory Catwell – three charges.
Enric Connolly – four charges.
Jerry Clarke – four charges.
Ona Harewood – two charges.
Denise Haynes – four charges.
Paul Hibbert – four charges.
Camille Hope – four charges.
Steve Jemmott – four charges.
James Husbands – four charges.
Deighton Moore – four charges.
Victor Pinto – three charges.
Maurice Scott – four charges.
Anthony White – four charges.
Bandele Serrano – four charges.
Kaye Williams – four charges.
Therold Fields – four charges.
Clarence Fergusson – four charges.
Verla DePeiza – four charges.
Dereck Daniel – eight charges.
Akinola Abayomi – four charges.
Livingston Forde – four charges.
