And so now, where do businesses stand, those that duly paid their taxes got a receipt – but then the books were altered and it was not recorded in the system or just part recorded. Willoughby wasn’t so clear on that aspect of it.
Phillip Willoughby,
“Yes you would be given a receipt, that is probable. It would be either way for you to voluntarily maybe come in to say that this receipt, see if this receipt has been printed or if this receipt has been accounted for. That’s one. If not then we know that that receipt falls within what is being investigated.”
Jules Vasquez,
“Do taxpayers stand to lose being that their either under-invoiced or their payments were under-recorded because I paid for a full year but only half was recorded in the system or none and so then it is as if I didn’t pay. Are those people in an injurious situation right now?”
Phillip Willoughby,
“The legal man will have to advise the council on that. I can’t speak specifically to that. I wouldn’t want to hold the council ransom based on what I would say here that no or yes specifically. It has to be a decision of the council.
Before a court of law I believe the receipts should hold up. This might just be a wider part of the general concept or principle of under-depositing. I can’t verify that, I can’t state that for a fact, I am just giving you an opinion based on the findings of the reports that were generated.”
And that means that at this point they don’t know the extent of the fraud. So far it only goes back to November, but it could pre-date that. Police continue to detain the council employees and charges are expected later this week.
