ZRA refuses to publicize forensic audit of mining companies

ZRA Corporate Communications Manager Topsy Sikalinda (Picture by Albert Mpezeni)

The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) says it cannot publicize the findings of the mines forensic audit initiated in 2018 after it unearthed a scam alleging that a prominent mining company had evaded paying tax worth 7.6 billion united states dollars.

ZRA Public Relations Manager Topsy Sikalinda says this is because authority cannot publicize a client’s confidentiality.

Mr. Sikalinda has told QFM in a phone interview that the authority cannot breach its trust with its clients by making public the outcome of the forensic audit of mining companies.

But Zambia Tax Platform Coordinator Ibrahim Kamara says if ZRA reveals the results of the audit, civil society organizations such as ZTP can take it up and put pressure on the government by advocating for the right tax policies to attain revenue that can benefit the citizenry.