The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has recorded a decline in cases of non-compliance, money laundering and tax evasion, attributed to its collaboration with the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA).
According to ACC Director-General Paulus Noa, the ACC and NamRA’s joint efforts have led to a noticeable reduction in tax evasion cases, with several companies now adhering to tax regulations to avoid financial penalties.
“Since we started taking action, NamRA started taking action, these things are still reducing now. There were companies that have not been paying tax, but they have learned now. Time to cheat is over,” he said.
He noted that businesses that previously failed to comply have faced severe consequences, including account closures and seizure of funds owed to the tax authorities.
“There are companies that have lost a massive amount of money when they realised that their accounts have been closed, and all the money that was in the bank account was taken because the company was owing the tax man,” he said.
Noa noted that the joint efforts between ACC and NamRA have led to significant financial consequences for non-compliant businesses as the ACC’s investigative strategy now includes a broader focus beyond corruption.
“One thing that we immediately try to look at is, besides the corruption, is there money laundering in the process? Is there tax avoidance? As soon as we investigate, we share this information with the Namibia Revenue Authority to see whether this person has ever declared his income or not. That helps us in the process of investigation to strengthen our suspicion that we are dealing with a criminal person here,” Noa explained.
He emphasised that even when individuals evade criminal prosecution, financial penalties remain a key deterrent.
“Even when he is not taken to the criminal court, we will chop his head off through the taxation. That’s how we deal. We deal with all the barriers open. We don’t just use one barrier,” Noa said.
The DG noted that the ACC’s efforts align with NamRA’s intensified enforcement measures, which have contributed to increased compliance in taxation and financial regulations.
He further noted that the decline in such cases signals progress in Namibia’s broader anti-corruption and tax compliance framework, a trend that authorities intend to sustain through continued inter-agency cooperation.
