BURS wants P4 million from Guma
Sharon Mathala | Friday November 20, 2015 18:00
The controversial MP’s woes deepened immediately after his contribution to the State of Nation Address (SONA) last week. When he took the floor, Guma immediately fired from all cylinders and accused his Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) colleagues of sabotage and jealousy. He told Parliament that his wealth is not proceeds of crime.
He even went further to reveal that he worked very hard for his wealth while some people were busy drinking alcohol. Little did he know that after his outburst, the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) would slap him with a P4 million tax penalty. “Guma was given 60 days to lodge an objection in writing to the Commissioner General after the notice of assessment,” said one of the sources privy to the matter.
The source said before the Tati East legislator could respond to the tax agent, all his bank accounts were frozen. “Now Guma is out there in the cold and he does not have access to any of his bank accounts.” Reached for comment, Guma said he was in Johannesburg attending a meeting. “I’m attending a meeting in Johannesburg and will talk to you when I arrive back in the country tomorrow [Friday],” said Guma.
Meanwhile, in his on-going court case at the Village Magistrate’s Court, Guma has been instructed by DCEC investigators to submit all his financial documents dating as far back as 2008. In the court matter, held last Friday, the state slammed Guma for delaying the case by failing to provide the requested documents.
His lawyer, Moses Kadye, told the Chief Magistrate Lenah Oahile-Mokibe that the legislator was not refusing to comply with the request from the state. Kadye said Guma simply did not have documents from as far back as seven years ago. However no charges have been laid yet against Guma. The case continues on January 22, 2015 when the state is expected to update the court on how far they are with their investigations.
Few months ago the Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Thapelo Olopeng, disassociated himself from his former business partner, Guma and his dealings. Both are currently fighting off allegations of bribery and corrupt dealings by the DCEC. In his answering affidavit before the Village Magistrate court, Olopeng, who is also an MP for Tonota, deposed that he had previous business dealings with Guma through a company called Leasing Services (PTY) LTD.
“I have had previous business dealings with my colleague at Parliament Mr Samson Moyo Guma particularly through a company called Leasing Services (PTY) LTD where we were co-directors/shareholders until I resigned at a meeting held on the 11th December 2014,” said Olopeng. He said following his resignation, the required paper work, Form 13, was duly filed with the Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property on December 12, 2014.
According to the summary of proceeds and payables as at November 30, 2014, Olopeng was paid P3,433,072.79 and Guma also got the same amount.
Olopeng disassociated himself from the first respondent, IRB Transport and said he had no interest in the company, which belongs to Guma. “I must state that for the record, I do not have any interest whatsoever in the said company and accordingly I am not aware of its dealings save only where it has hired some trucks from my other company Safari Company (PTY) LTD.”
The minister said he could only talk about his personal account and not the IRB Transport. He indicated that he was not privy to the business dealings or otherwise of the said company other than where his company Safari Computers was engaged. “Accordingly, I am not in a position to explain or answer to the transaction of P25,948,907.91 allegedly received by the third respondent on behalf of the first respondent,” said Olopeng who is the second respondent in the matter.
The first respondent is IRB Transport while the third respondent is Standard Chartered Bank.