FRCS Senior Manager says she has never witnessed in her 38 years of service where the Govt has paid tax for its employee

Fiji Revenue and Customs Service Senior Manager Lewai Karavaki says according to the law, every person who earns in Fiji should pay tax.

Karavaki is the ninth prosecution witness in the case of former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem, who are charged with abuse of office and receiving a corrupt benefit, respectively, in 2022.

Karavaki told the High Court that she has never witnessed in her 38 years of service with FRCS, where the government had paid tax for its employee.

She says according to the Income Tax Act, every person who earns in Fiji should pay tax.

When asked by Chief Justice Salesi Temo on who else cannot pay income tax apart from the President, Karavaki says this will also include pensioners.

When cross-examined by defence lawyer Devanesh Sharma about Saneem's Tax Compliance Certificate from the FRCS, Karavaki says the certificate does not mean Saneem had paid his taxes.

It was revealed in court today that Saneem had paid his taxes as he received his Tax Compliance Certificate from the FRCS.

This is after defence lawyer Devanesh Sharma put to FRCS Senior Manager Lewai Karavaki the Tax Compliance Certificate for Saneem that was given by the FRCS this year.

It is alleged that Sayed-Khaiyum between June 30th and July 12th in 2022, whilst being the Acting Prime Minister, signed a Deed of Variation and Addendum between the Government and the then Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem and that the approval for the government to pay the taxes of Mohammed Saneem was done without the proper approval of the Constitutional Offices Commission and the President of Fiji.

It is alleged that between the 1st of June 2022 and the 31st of July 2022, while being employed as the Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem without lawful authority and reasonable excuse, asked for and obtained a benefit for himself, that is the approval and payment/waiver of tax of more than $55,000 that was charged on his back pay as a Supervisor of Elections.