Monrovia – Musa Bility, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Gulf/Srimex oil and gas company is yet to settle a US$143,000 tax bill owed the Government of Liberia (GoL), according to new court records.
Court records stated that the GoL On May 3, 2011 filed a formal complaint to the tax court for the enforcement of judgment against the Gulf Trading Enterprise, alleging the company’s failure to pay overdue and outstanding taxes owed the GoL in the amount of US$488,910.52.
Court records revealed that Bility paid US$120,000 with the balance owed amounting to US$368,910.00 with interest thereof but Bility disputed the tax obligation of US$368,910.00
Despite Bility’s denial of owing the GoL US$368,910.00 in unpaid taxes and accumulated interest, court records in the possession of FrontPage Africa also say that counsel for the defendant allegedly admitted of owing GoL US$180,000.
With the admittance of Bility’s lawyer that his company allegedly owes the government US$180,000, it prompted the prosecution to file a bill of information, praying the court for Musa Bility to pay a cost and interest in keeping with 1lCLR Chapter 45.
Following the prosecution’s bill of information, the court, in its payment order issued in August of 2012 to Bility, ordered the businessman to pay 25% of the total judgment and 2% of the clerk fees etc.
“Upon your failure to comply with this order within 24 hours, the court will be left with no alternative but to proceed against your corporation in keeping with the law governing the operation of the court,” stated the payment order issued by the tax court in August 2012.
Records indicate that Bility, in compliance with the court’s order, made a part payment of US$47,000.00, leaving him with the balance of US$143,000.00.
“At this stage, counsel for the defendant says that defendant says that he wishes to inform the court that he has engaged the prosecution in these proceedings with respect to the satisfaction of the amount admitted during these proceedings for which a judgment was entered since July 2013,” stated the plea from the businessman’s lawyer after an initial payment was made.
Mr. Bility’s lawyer further claimed that an amicable payment arrangement had been derived which, if defaulted upon, the judgment and the amount of less payment made shall immediately be due payable and enforced against the defendant.
However, documents from the court in possession of FrontPageAfrica show that the businessman has not paid a dime since he was coerced to pay US$47,000 by the court in its presence. Tax Court officers, when contacted, referred FPA to the judge of the court who was reported to be out of the court premise.
Musa Bility was initially represented in the case by Kemp and Associates headed by Cllr. Theophilus Gould but currently the legal team has been beefed up by the International Law Group (ILG) represented by Atty. Medina Wesseh.
