- Investigates his new BMW
- Garnishing order on his salary – claim
GAZETTE REPORTER
Leader of Opposition and Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) President Duma Boko’s luxury Range Rover Autobiography will go under the hammer next week Friday following its seizure by the Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS) on allegations of failure to pay tax.
The Member of Parliament’s possessions were advertised in local media amongst several other assets from individuals unknown to this publication, in an advert for a Sale in Execution slated for March 29th at Gaborone.
Boko’s troubles with the taxman deepened when he failed to fulfill a payment agreement plan he had entered into with BURS in mid 2018 after he was pounced on for the first time at Parliament and the same vehicle seized over allegations of a tax debt running into millions and unfiled tax returns.
Reliable sources inform this publication that the P250 000 auction reserve price tag considerably less than the cost of the vehicle (Range Rover Autobiography SUV), which upon arrival in 2016, cost between P1.5 million to P2 million if brand new. Sources within BURS suggest that the sale of the car is unlikely to liquidate the tax debt.
GARNISHING ORDER ON HIS SALARY
Pictures of Leader of Opposition after the seizure of his SUV, have emerged with him at Parliament in another top of the range black BMW donning Gauteng Province registration plates. The use of the high end BMW came a few days after he scoffed at the tax man when interviewed by reporters who wanted to know what he was going to do.“I am going to swipe another one,” Boko told the parliament reporter.
BURS is said to be hot on the heels of the Leader of Opposition, LoO, trying to establish the source of funds for the new vehicle and whether the financiers themselves are complying with tax laws. “Also if the vehicle is rented there should be withholding VAT declared with BURS because the vehicle is not registered under him or the PR firm he hired,” a reliable source alleged.
Another source at a bank (names withheld) where Boko’s current accounts are domiciled confirmed that the bank has been slapped with a garnishee type order on his salary. The Order originates from BURS and the same is referenced to have been issued against LoO’s employer.
The garnish order is served to order an employer or the bank to make deductions from the employee’s salary in settlement of a debt owed to BURS. Boko could not be reached for comment yesterday to establish if he was opposing the decision.