Monrovia – Three auditors of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) are being investigated by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) for their reported involvement in soliciting bribe to compromise taxes in millions of dollars.
Those arrested and poised to face criminal charges following the LACC investigation include Messrs Alexander Harris, Paul Siafa and Sidiki Kanneh.
They were arrested following a tip off that they were soliciting bribe from a tax payer, a release issued in Monrovia by the LRA said.
The three Auditors were arrested by the LACC Enforcement Unit in Monrovia on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 for alleged extortion and criminal solicitation to reduce the tax liability of a business entity, name withheld.
The Auditors who are assigned within the Large Tax Division of the LRA are said to have requested the business entity to give them US$12,000 (twelve thousand United States Dollars) in exchange for the cancelation of a tax audit bill of initially US$5m prepared by them covering the period January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2015.
The three auditors were arrested at the offices of the business entity and brought to the LACC for questioning.
Tax practitioners, in their regular stakeholders’ engagement with the LRA, had complained of LRA auditors soliciting bribe and exhibiting extortionist behavior, the LRA release noted.
Tax practitioners and the general public have been requested to help the LRA fight the menace, the release stated.
Meanwhile, the LRA and the LACC have expressed thanks to the taxpayer for the collaboration.