Tanzania: Traders warned against use of unregistered EFDs

 

18 August 2014

Use of unregistered Electronic Fiscal Devices (EFDs) is illegal and will draw severe legal penalties, traders have been warned. The warning was issued over the weekend by the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) whose officials say hefty penalties will be levied against the perpetrators.
 
Speaking to this paper over a telephone interview, TRA’s Director for Taxpayer Services and Education, Richard Kayombo confirmed that there are traders using unregistered EFDs which he described as ‘fake gadgets not legally recognized by the law’.

“We are going to conduct random inspections throughout the country and stern legal measures will be taken against anyone proved to use these fake EFDs,” Kayombo warned.

 

The development comes in the wake of last week’s findings that implicated the marketing and advertisement firm, CI Group’ in Dar es Salaam of using a fake EFD machine. In a dramatic turn of events, Fasad Nasoro, Owner and director of CI Group was arrested during a random visit of his firm by Deputy Minister of Finance, Mwigulu Nchemba mid-last week. The machine he is accused of operating and which he was found in possession of, had serial numbers 031TZ 54000053.

“We are dragging them to court…they are attempting to cheat the government out of its due revenue through tax evasion,” Kayombo, TRA’s Director for Taxpayer Services and Education accused the firm.

 

Kayombo further asserted the authority‘s determination to have all eligible traders use the machines as required by the law.

“EFDs are meant to enable the government levy appropriate taxes and ease the collection process…they also help the business owners keep accurate records of their transactions and for clients to have receipt evidence of purchases,” he explained urging all traders who haven’t yet begun using the machines to do so.

 
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN