NamRA: Tax crimes bleeding Namibia of N$6 billion annually

Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) commissioner Sam Shivute says there are more tax criminals walking free than there are offenders behind bars for other related crimes, warning that this “very serious matter” is the driving force behind Namibia losing approximately N$6 billion annually due to tax-related offences.Speaking recently on NTV’s The Agenda, Shivute said the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has a report clearly identifying tax offences as among the country’s top crimes. “Namibia is losing approximately N$6 billion as a result of tax-related crimes. In addition, there is a unit at the Bank of Namibia known as the National Office of Illicit Financial Flows. That office also has a report detailing how much money Namibia is losing annually due to illicit financial flows. I will not disclose the exact figure, as it still needs to be submitted to Cabinet,” he said.“Tax evasion is a serious crime, and if all law enforcement agencies were to work together and treat it with the same urgency as it is treated in other countries, I can assure you we would see more criminals behind bars rather than walking free. This is a very serious matter. Namibia is losing significant revenue through illicit financial flows and tax crimes,” he added.Shivute highlighted that the necessary data is readily available. “It is now up to all those who truly care about this country to join hands and support institutions working to protect Namibia’s interests. Instead of undermining these institutions or using political motives to weaken them, we must strengthen them. Namibia has the potential to generate and collect enough revenue to fund its own developmental agenda, without relying heavily on borrowing. But to achieve this, we must curb the losses caused by illicit financial flows, which are draining the resources our country works hard to generate,” Shivute said.“In addition, there is a unit at the Bank of Namibia known as the National Office of Illicit Financial Flows. That office also has a report detailing how much money Namibia is losing annually due to illicit financial flows. I will not disclose the exact figure, as it still needs to be submitted to Cabinet,” he added.Meanwhile, NamRA recently uncovered a fraudulent scheme that led to the illegal payout of tax refunds totaling over N$666 000 between January and April 2025, implicating 47 taxpayers.An internal investigation revealed that newly registered taxpayers—primarily unemployed individuals with no tax obligations, were fraudulently processed for refunds dating as far back as 2011.Last year, Shivute raised alarm over multinational companies operating in Namibia while continuously declaring losses to avoid taxes. He revealed that 104 out of 400 multinational entities had never paid tax despite conducting business, often manipulating transfer pricing and inflating expenses. He noted that no business can operate at a loss indefinitely, and said audits had already resulted in over N$150 million being recovered in overdue taxes.Meanwhile, the High Court recently dismissed an application by Trustco Group Holdings to exclude parts of the NamRA case in its heated tax battle over alleged arrears of N$593 million.Trustco, represented by senior counsel Reinhard Tötemeyer, accused NamRA of acting unfairly and unconstitutionally by revoking previous payment arrangements. However, the court ruled that NamRA acted within the law, finding the claims without merit. Trustco was also ordered to pay the legal costs of all four respondent.nikanor@nmh-hub.com.na

NamRA: Tax crimes bleeding Namibia of N$6 billion annually

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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NamRA: Tax crimes bleeding Namibia of N$6 billion annually

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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