By TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A 35-year-old Revenue Marshall with the Osun Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Faboye Samuel, has been dragged to a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo for allegedly stealing the sum of N669,000 from the internally generated revenue of the state.
The Police informed the court on Thursday that Samuel had converted N669,000, which he collected from schools as their Education Trust Fund Levy, to his personal use.
The prosecutor, Mr. Fatoba said that Samuel’s alleged theft was discovered by the State IRS before policemen were invited to apprehend him.
The accused person was accused of converting the state’s revenue to his personal use and stealing of N669,000, an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under Section 390(9) of criminal code Cap34 vol. 11, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2003.
However, Samuel pleaded not guilty to the count-charge.
The presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Rofiat Olayemi, granted the accused tax collector bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in same amount.
She said one of the sureties must be civil servant of not less than level five and the other can be relative or friend and be sworn to affidavit of means and present certificates of tax clearance to the court.
Olayemi adjourned the case till 18th of July, 2019.
While Samuel couldn’t meet up the bail conditions, he was whisked away to Ilesa prison custody until he is able to perfect his bail.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the IRS board, Barr. Oluwatosin Falomo, has said the state would not relent in sanitizing its revenue generation cycle and curb activities of criminal tax collectors.
While reacting to the latest development, Falomo described the incidence as very unfortunate as it is becoming rampant within the Osun Internal Revenue Service.
“Osun Internal Revenue Service is ever on guard to safeguard every penny that is remitted by our esteemed taxpayers into the government’s coffers with a view to maintaining the confidence that taxpayers have in the Agency.
“Therefore, discipline should always be the watchword of all so that the end result of the government would be achievable,” Falomo said.