Mpisane back in court

Mpisane back in court

Businesswoman Shauwn Mpisane's fraud trial will continue in the Durban Regional Court on Thursday.

court 1_6.jpg

Businesswoman Shauwn Mpisane's fraud trial will continue in the Durban Regional Court on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the court heard that Mpisane had no intention of evading payment of tax. During cross-examination, Rafik Bhana, SC, for Mpisane, said if the SA Revenue Service (Sars) had the opinion that Mpisane had plans to evade tax, they would not have reduced her additional tax penalty from 200 percent to 100 percent. State witness Waheeda Osman, who is also a tax auditor at Sars, agreed with Bhana. 
 
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. Bhana told the court Osman lacked objectivity as she failed to attach the weight of the Voluntary Disclosure Process and attempts by Mpisane to regularise her tax affairs. Osman said a criminal case was opened against Mpisane because she presented fictitious invoices in 2010.
 
-Sapa

Show's Stories