Billions Go Missing at NRA
In a recent development about institutional fraud and major corruption, especially in an institution which is legally and morally bound or charged with duties to protect individual monies and state resources, the National Revenue Authority seems to be implicated in this recent billion-gate scandal of public funds.
According to our investigation, information revealed that a constructive syndicate of criminals has been formed to siphon both government and customers’ money, implicating certain staff of the National Revenue Authority, who are said to have been complicit in diverting government generated funds to a private account. Among those alleged to be involved are the Director of Finance, Head of Integrated Tax Administration System. Those who need to answer questions regarding this monumental fraud include the current and outgoing Chair of NRA Board of Directors, Mrs. Fatu Gento Kamara and the newly-appointed NRA Director General, Mrs. Bangura for them to throw light on how they could be in charge and such a huge amount goes missing under their watch
According to analysts, with the existence of this syndicate, the principle of Vicarious Liability will not exonerate the Director of Finance, Head of integrated Tax Administration, Board Chairman and the Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority, who are duty bearers in that administration.
The diversion of Public Funds generated from Tax revenue, to a personally created account, might not be done without the knowledge of NRA Director of Finance, head of ITAS, Commissioner General and the Board Chairman. These cannot claim lack of knowledge, when one takes into account the policies, principles of functions, personnel and control. If this assertion is positive, then the NRA is not a trusted institution to handle tax payers’ monies, and the NRA’s recent administration can also not be relied on to properly generate and mange public funds.
During the process of our investigation, this medium was intimated that a certain staff are on the run, and alleged to have created a private account, in conspiracy with his accomplices at the National Revenue Authority, for the sole purpose of diverting tax revenue collected. Authorities at the National Revenue Authority, when contacted, declined to comment.
Pursuant to Section 8 (2), the Board of Directors are mandated to examine, in every Two Months, all financial and audited statements, and this section is mainly to assist the Board to pick up any possible corruption or professional impropriety that maybe in existence or might have been done by any staff, or any intruder. However, several Board meetings have been held without no action taken on the said corruption scandal.
Any diversion of government revenue into a private account is contrary to Section 31 of the National Revenue Authority Act.
