Despite media reports of a court appearance next Monday, owner and publisher of the Kaieteur News Glenn Lall insists that he has not been formally told that he has been charged with tax evasion.
Lall said that while it was a shock to read of this in the newspaper, he is not convinced that the information published is true.
Over the past few weeks there has been a brewing controversy between Lall and the head of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Khurshid Sattaur over the businessman’s alleged involvement in an alleged remigrant duty-free scam. It is being alleged that Lall colluded with a remigrant couple in the importation of two luxury vehicles for his own use.
Within the past few days both the Guyana Times and the state-owned Guyana Chronicle have reported that charges have been brought against Lall, his wife and the remigrant couple. It has also been reported that it was the GRA that filed the charges, which are to be read and heard at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on October 13. The quartet, according to newspaper reports, will face a total of six charges all related to the alleged attempt to defraud authorities on import tax for the two vehicles.
Repeated efforts to make contact with Sattaur yesterday for a confirmation of the filing of charges were futile. This newspaper was also unable to ascertain whether the police are in anyway involved in the investigation of any aspect of this matter.
In an invited comment the businessman who operates his newspaper business at Saffon Street, told Stabroek News that he has heard nothing from the GRA about being charged with anything. He said he found it “shocking” that such information would be published in the two daily newspapers without him being first notified that he has been charged and will have to make a court appearance.
“It is not true. There is not an iota of evidence. There is no evidence to support those claims,” he said in response to the allegations that are being made against him.
Lall said further that his lawyers will be contacted in relation to these recent developments and he pointed out that a number of lawyers have come forward pledging their support.
