
The curtain closed on a near 10-year battle between Zimra
and Econet, wherein the tax authority claimed that the latter owed millions of
dollars in unpaid taxes.
A panel of judges, led by Chief Justice Luke Malaba, ruled
in favour of Econet Wireless whose lawyer Tawanda Nyambirai yesterday said it
was a victory for victims of cyber-bullying.
“Zimra had garnished Econet’s bank accounts to the tune of
$61 million in December 2013. There was a media frenzy with allegations that
Econet had evaded duty and amounts of up to $300 million were mentioned,”
Nyambirai said.
“Rather than fight the allegations in the media, Econet
applied to the High Court, which struck down $47 million of the amount claimed
by Zimra.”
He said, not satisfied with this outcome, Econet further
appealed to the Supreme Court.
“The Supreme Court bench, led by the Chief Justice
(Malaba), (ruled) in favour of Econet. I do not see this as a victory for
Econet alone. It is a victory for all victims of cyber-bullying. Econet was
tried and condemned in the social media! Any humble protestations of innocence
were drowned in baseless abuse and condemnation where the basic principles of innocent
until proved guilty were thrown out of the window.”
“Some of these attitudes are caused by the economic
hardships that we continue to face as a nation. I can only wish for the speedy
recovery of our economy and the restoration of values of integrity and respect
for the rights of others,” Nyambirai said from South Africa yesterday.
The dismissed case started after a shipping agent who,
following allegations of fraud, lost business from Econet. He then decided to
turn a whistle-blower in what he alleged was fraudulent importation of several
other items that include base station equipment.
The whistleblower also made reports to Zimra alleging that
Econet under-invoiced its imports resulting in the tax authority slamming the
communication company with a bill of almost $100 million.
Econet approached the courts and pursued the matter all the
way to the apex Court.
Yesterday’s ruling established that Econet, the single
largest taxpayer in the country, did not owe Zimra any money. Newsday
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