![Eastern Cape Woman Faces Jail Time Or Fine For Defrauding SARS](https://surgezirc.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/images-50.png)
A woman from the Eastern Cape in South Africa has been found guilty of defrauding the South African Revenue Services (SARS) over a period of six years.
The woman, named Paulina Muzenda, and her company, Yokei Trading Close Corporation, were convicted of fraud charges in the East London Regional Court.
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According to Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, a spokesperson for the Provincial Hawks, Muzenda and her company supplied goods to Buffalo City Municipality, Amathole District Municipality, and Standard Bank Fleet Management during the 2016/2017 financial year.
However, they did not declare the income when filing for Value Added Tax (VAT) returns, resulting in a loss of more than R175,000 for the South African Revenue Services (SARS).
The matter was brought to the attention of the Hawks, leading to Muzenda’s arrest in 2021. After a series of court appearances, both Muzenda and her company were found guilty.
The court ordered Yokei Trading CC to pay a fine of R25,000.
Muzenda herself was given the choice between paying a fine of R50,000 or serving a direct imprisonment term of five years, with half of the term suspended for five years on the condition that she does not commit the same offense during the suspension period.
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If she chooses imprisonment, she would be incarcerated for a period of two and a half years (30 months).
The Provincial Head, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, commended the officers involved in successfully prosecuting the case.