The Federal Government has filed a six-count criminal charge against Nigerdock Nigeria Limited and seven of its directors over alleged tax evasion.
The charge dated November 26 was filed at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
The seven directors listed alongside Nigerdock Nigeria Limited in the charge are Maher Jarmakani, Adewale Akanbi, Michael Akhigbe, Daniel Ayscough, Patrick Van Uden, Adebola Adesoye and Rutger Ten Thij.
The government, through its lawyer, Moses Ideho, alleged that Nigerdock Nigeria Limited and its directors committed the alleged infractions between 2015 and 2018.
Nigerdock Nigeria Limited and its directors were specifically alleged to have, between 2015 and 2018 years of assessment, failed to pay company income tax, tertiary education tax and withholding tax amounting to N68,695,302.53, which are accrued tax liability, accrued interest and penalty.
Media Talk Africa reports that the offences contravene sections 40, 26 and 27 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Establishment Act 2007 (as amended) and Section 82 of the Companies Income Tax Act (as amended) and are punishable under Section 8. 55 of the Companies Income Tax Act (as amended).
Similarly, the offences also violate Section 11 of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Establishment) Act 2011.
No date has been fixed for the arraignment of all the defendants.
