GRA, re-migrant couple to resolve matter amicably – court hears

Jan 09, 2015 News

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The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the re-migrant couple accused in a multi-million-dollar tax evasion scam are working to solve the matter amicably, the tax agency’s lawyers told a packed city courtroom yesterday.

Narootandeo and Gharbassi Brijnanan appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, and were released on self-bail. They were never served with a summons, but they turned up in court.

The elderly couple, of Continental Park, East Bank Demerara, was jointly charged with making false declarations and conspiring to evade taxes on two vehicles they imported in 2013, under the remigrant scheme.

The Brijnanans are being accused of subscribing to a false declaration in a matter relating to Customs, by falsely declaring two Lexus LX570 motor vehicles, to the worth of US$44,158 each, at GRA’s Camp Street, Georgetown Office, between June 18, 2013 and September 20, 2013.

The GRA also claims that the couple, together with persons unknown, aided and abetted the fraudulent evasion of duties due and payable to the tax agency on the two Lexus vehicles, PRR 8398 and PRR 8399, between June 18, and September 21, 2013.

The Brijnanans denied all the charges read to them in court.

The Brijnanans are being represented by a battery of high-profile lawyers led by Senior Counsel, Rex McKay. The team includes Attorneys-at-Law, Khemraj Ramjattan, Nigel Hughes, Robin Hunte, Brendan Glasford, Bettina Glasford and Christopher Ram.

Appearing for the GRA were Attorneys-at-Law Sandil Kissoon and Mahendra Satram.

It was Hunte who entered an appearance for the couple yesterday. He told the Court that the senior citizens once lived in the United States, but returned to Guyana and were living with their son at Continental Park.

The Brijnanans were due to appear in court since October when Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall, and his businesswoman wife, Bhena Lall, were first arraigned on the private charges. The Lalls were jointly charged with conspiring to evade taxes on two vehicles imported by the remigrants.

Hunte told the Magistrate that the Brijnanans’ late appearance was due to the fact that they were abroad seeking medical attention. They returned to these shores during December 2014.

He said though no summonses were served on them, they had learnt of the charges by alternative measures, and faithfully attended court yesterday. The lawyer asked for the couple to be released on their own recognizance.

Hunte highlighted their interest in the matter.

The Prosecution did not object to self-bail. During his short address, Kissoon admitted that no summons had been served on the Brijnanans and revealed that the tax agency and the remigrant couple are seeking to resolve the matter amicably.

His attempt to have the matter adjourned to March 4 was rescinded. The next court date is February 6.

The Lalls were also present yesterday and they too will return to court on that date.

The charge against the Lalls detailed that, between June 18 and September 30, 2013, they knowingly dealt with goods with the intention to defraud GRA.

They too are being accused of aiding and abetting the evasion of duty on the two Lexus vehicles between June 18 and September 21, 2013.

The Publisher and his wife already denied the charges when they appeared on October 13, last before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. They were released on their own recognizance (self-bail).

The private criminal charges came less than a month after the publication of a series of shocking emails between the Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Khurshid Sattaur, the Attorney General Anil Nandlall and former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, which spoke of a plot to silence Kaieteur News.

Lall and his wife were hauled before the courts several weeks after Kaieteur News published reports questioning the appropriateness of Sattaur’s three children and relatives being employed at GRA, a state-owned tax collection agency where sensitive information is stored.

Another report that Chinese investment company, Bai Shan Lin, was granted luxury vehicles to conduct logging activities, had also angered Sattaur.

GRA refused to comment on the concessions, citing confidentiality clauses regarding taxpayers.

In late August, GRA descended on the Continental Park residence of the Brijnanans, close family friends of the Lalls, and officers moved to seize the two Lexus vehicles.

The vehicles were brought in by the Brijnanans last year after their application for remigrant status was approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 3, 2013, and tax exemptions granted by GRA a few days later.

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