So, as we told you at the top of the news tonight - Andrew Munnings is free. He spent 24 hours in lockdown - and this morning they gave him a prison shave. For a man who has. No. Criminal re3cord or criminal history - it was a horrifying event.
And it's been a public relations nightmare for Belize Tax Services. It forced the Director General to issue a statement this afternoon which she gave us via ZOOM. She outlined the background to the bench warrant which led to his imprisonment:
Michelle Longsworth, Director General - BTS
"The Belize Tax service confirms that that judgment has been obtained in court against Manning's funeral service for outstanding tax arrears. Despite repeated opportunities to comply, the taxpayer has defaulted on both filing and payment obligations."
"BTSD views court enforcement as a measure of last resort, used only after multiple opportunities for cooperation have been provided. On February 25th, 2025, the Magistrate Court ordered Mr. Mulnnings to meet monthly payments of $2,000 towards his judgment debt. While some partial payments were made, he failed to comply with the court order. The court made it clear that failure to meet these obligations would result in committal to jail. After further defaults, a committal warrant was issued yesterday. A lawful consequence of ignoring a binding court order."
"This case did not reach the stage of committal overnight. The business began operating in 2020, but was not registered for tax purposes until 2023. After Belize Tax Services contacted him. Despite this late registration, the taxpayer did not file or pay as required. A taxpayer service officer made several attempts to provide taxpayer education, but these were refused by the taxpayer. Audits and assessments were carried out in accordance with the law, and the taxpayer was given an opportunity to seek a review, but he did not act."
"Multiple payment arrangements were offered, including the waiver of penalty and interest. Additional time was granted before enforcement. Despite these accommodations, the taxpayer repeatedly failed to comply with both tax obligation and the binding court order."
