Car spare parts dealer in trouble for possessing fake documents

Kwabena Owusu-Ansah, a car spare parts dealer at the Suame Magazine in Kumasi on Wednesday appeared before a Kumasi Circuit Tribunal for possessing fake Tax Clearance Certificate.

He pleaded not guilty and was granted eight million cedis bail with one surety to re-appear on May 15.

Prosecuting Police Chief Inspector Fabian K. Afesi told the tribunal chaired by Mr. C. V. Senu, that the accused registered his business established at the Suame Magazine on March 10, 1997.

He said Owusu-Ansah in his bid to clear goods he ordered from Germany, which had arrived at the Tema Port, went to Suame office of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with a tax clearance certificate and assessment notice for 1997 to 1999.

Upon close examination officials of the IRS became suspicious of the authenticity of certificate.

Chief Inspector Afesi said the signature on the certificate bore the name D. K. Nkansah, but there was no officer at the IRS office that goes by that name.

When questioned, he insisted that it was given to him by one Asamoah of that office but could, however, not point out that officer.

The prosecutor told the tribunal that the Police consequently arrested him and upon investigation it was detected that the signature on the certificate did not tally with that of any of the officers qualified to sign it.

Mr Samuel Safo-Gyamfi, Counsel for the accused, insisted that the tax clearance certificate was genuine and was issued by the IRS.

He said his client has been filing his tax returns and that one Mr Newman was in-charge of his tax file.

Counsel said when Owusu-Ansah called at the Suame office of the IRS one Owusu claimed that he has taken over from Newman and went with the accused to his shop where after assessment he was asked to pay 800,000 cedis which he did.

He said when the accused went to the office to file his assessment notice to clear the goods he was told that his tax file could not be traced.

The officers asked him to pay 500,000 cedes, which he refused and it was the refusal that angered them to frame him up.