The Suva High court will make a ruling next month in relation to an appeal filed by Ba businessman who is currently serving one year sentence for failing to file Income Tax Returns and Value Added Tax (VAT) returns.
In a landmark judgement by the Suva Magistrates Court earlier this year, Suresh Prasad was convicted of six counts of failure to file Income Tax Returns and thirteen counts of failing to file VAT returns.
Prasad who was sentenced in absentia in April was arrested a month later and is appealing against his conviction and sentence.
His lawyer yesterday made submissions on six grounds. He said that the summons were served to a child and so it is defective.
He said that proper procedures were not followed.
The Defence lawyer said that the 12 months sentence is harsh and excessive.
FIRCA lawyer said that the accused’s wife had refused to accept the summon when it was taken to their house in Ba.
She also said that sentence was not harsh.
The High court judge will make a ruling on appeal on 14th September.
