MONROVIA: In the wake of the lack of the proper information surrounding the reason for the closure of his company, yesterday the Chairman of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Mr. Musa Hassan Bility, has said the closure of his company, SRIMEX has nothing to do with tax evasion and his obligation to the road fund as being peddled around by his detractors, but a normal set routine by the Liberia Revenue Authority to do assessment on companies operating in the country, insisting that he did nothing wrong in the process.
Speaking through a podcast last night to respond to the closure of his company by LRA, which according to him came as a surprise to him, Chairman Bility who said he is not personally involved in the day to day running of SRIMEX told his audience that he was informed about the closure of the company by his controller for owing the government of Liberia withholding and personal income tax in the tone of $165k, adding that the company will meet the LRA people tomorrow (that’s today), Wednesday, June 7, 2023 to begin the process of settling the arrear.
Bility said he was told about the closure of the company by 3 pm yesterday through the controller of SRIMEX that officials of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) had approached the entity with a bill of $165k which according to him represents withholding and income taxes but was disturbed when the officials came with a threat that the company either pays the amount or be shut down.
“Today, the LRA closed my company down for a bill of $165k contrary to the Unity Party and the Spoon Network “saying that we have been charged with tax evasion and road fund, no.
“But what is important to me as a politician and Chairman of CPP, I felt that I owe that to you the public, that when such information comes up, I should be able to come to you to explain to you, so that you will know first.
“First, I don’t tamper with the company; there are managers that run the company. Secondly, this is a routine decision by LRA to come into a company and say we need to look at your books.
“But how a decision to shut down a major company for just $165k bothers me. I have also found out that I know the LRA to have professional people up to the top like the Commissioner General, first class professional who is never in politics, I know the Deputy is also a professional, not into politics.
“But beyond that there is politics and so the Senator (name withheld) who we all elected and now regret, who called the Spoon FM and gave them the information about the visitation of LRA people at our office”.
“Imagine, an operator of the UP in the government system taking the information out and lying on top of it and giving it to the UP outlet, to make it look like Bility evaded taxes”, he said.
Bility who insisted he did not do anything wrong, said he agreed with the LRA as a reputable institution and has the legal authority to mete punishment on any institution violating the laws of the country, that should not give it any authority to just be closing down companies without according the companies due process. He said the company will review the penalty and address the situation with the hope that it will help to stabilize his company’s activities.
He further told his audience, that as a politician he was aware that he must pay a prize but he owes it to his people and himself to be on the right side of the law, adding that what baffles him was that his detractors look at what is normal activities of LRA to review and make assessment of a company’s financial obligation to the government sadly turned out to be a campaign of calumny and blackmail against him as if to say he did wrong.
Bility also spoke about his indebtedness to the Road Fund which he put at initially being around $4m but his compliance to retire the debt brought down the amount significantly to about $460k, “so those who are making the noise about the road fund did not know about the story but in this thing to malign my character”
He said when he signed on to be a politician, he was fully prepared to encounter the worst, adding that what people did with his name in the wake of the closure of his company was something he expected; “I even expected the worse than this but no matter the case I will not bow down to what they expect me to do”
The CPP strong man said equally prepared to combat his detractors who always find it a pleasure to get him down, “but they lie and I will continue to say that I also have the ability to bring them down”.
He said what brings him joy more is he is a hardworking person “I work hard for my money and spends it the way I want it and that is what they do not like”.
“Again and that is why my confidence level continues to rise; that the CPP is seriously engaged with our people and that we are set to win the 2023 general elections. Come October 10, 2023, we are winning the election”, Bility said.
Musa Bility, you are really corruption personified. Why must you owe so much amount to the extent that the LRA has been compelled to close down your front to steal??? And you are the kind of character wanting to have sway over the instruments of power of government with that other criminal calling himself Alex Cummings. Its so good that delusion of you two little lack of integrity incompetents IS A MIRAGE.