A Sars tax auditor was unhappy over having to reverse her tax assessment of businesswoman Shauwn Mpisane, the court heard.
|||Durban - A SA Revenue Service (Sars) tax auditor was unhappy over having to reverse her tax assessment of Durban businesswoman Shauwn Mpisane, the Durban Regional Court heard on Monday.
Wahida Osman told the court she felt Mpisane had been able “to influence the audit process within the audit organisation”.
She was being cross-examined by Rafik Bhana, SC, for Mpisane.
The court previously heard that Mpisane's tax liability, which Osman calculated, was reversed following a subsequent audit of suppliers' invoices by her colleague Samantha Ramharak.
Mpisane is accused of inflating invoices by more than R5 million in an attempt to cut her tax bill. She is also accused of violating the Close Corporations Act by remaining the sole member of Zikhulise Cleaning, Maintenance, and Transport CC when she had a previous fraud conviction. She has pleaded not guilty.
Osman said she was disgruntled about issuing the tax assessment reversal because Ramharak had carried out the work for that assessment. Ramharak's assessment was also reversed.
Osman admitted under questioning from Bhana that “one or two” other taxpayers had asked that she not audit their books.
Bhana said her superiors found that “your actions in Sars KZN had lacked credibility”.
The trial continues on Tuesday. - Sapa