By Yankuba Jallow
The High Court of Banjul yesterday awarded the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) one hundred thousand dalasis (D100,000) as costs in their tax related case against the Observer Company.
When the case was called, M. Bojang announced her representation for the plaintiffs (GRA) whilst the defendants (Observer Company) were not present in court.
The plaintiffs’ counsel, M. Bojang told the court that the defendants have been properly served but they failed to turn up.
The trial Judge, Justice Mahoney ruled that the defendants pay costs to the plaintiffs amounting to D100,000 for failing to appear in court for reasons not known to the court.
Two minutes after the ruling, the Defendant’s team came but found the court had already closed its session.
The Revenue Authority sued the Observer Company claiming for D17,473,584.47 (seventeen million and four hundred and seventy three thousand, five hundred and eighty four dalasis and forty seven bututs) being the amount owed to the plaintiffs by the defendants due to tax.
In addition, they claim for corporate income tax, sales tax, value added tax and payroll tax from January 2007 to December 2016.
Further, they claim interest of 25% from January 2007 to December 2016 until the date of payment and finally asked for costs.
