The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) says the amount lost to an income tax refund fraud scheme has increased to N$136 million.
This is a significant increase from the initial N$36 million reported in July 2021, when the fraudulent scheme was first discovered. NamRA’s Chief Strategic Communication and Support Engagement Executive, Steven Ndorokaze, stated that 921 taxpayers have been implicated in the scam, up from the 409 initially reported in July 2022.
These taxpayers are employees of 56 institutions, including private companies, government offices, ministries, agencies, and public institutions.
Ndorokaze also reported that N$7.8 million has been recovered through various efforts, including the issuance of 128 demand letters to the implicated taxpayers.
Additionally, 14 institutions have been appointed as agents to collect on behalf of NamRA under section 91 of the Income Tax Act of 1981.
“We express our gratitude to all institutions that have aided our investigations and trust that we can rely on their continued support,” said Ndorokaze.
To date, 50 criminal cases have been lodged with the police, and authorities are continuing to take further action as investigations continue.
