Court dismisses insurance agent's appeal against tax evasion conviction
The Court of First Instance of the High Court today (January 7) dismissed an appeal lodged by an insurance agent against a tax evasion conviction.
The appellant, a sole proprietress carrying on an insurance agency business, was convicted in July 2022 at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts of 11 charges of wilfully with intent evading tax by signing fraudulent tax returns and employer's returns of her business, contrary to section 82(1)(d) of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (IRO) (Cap.112). She was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment.
The appellant claimed deduction of "office assistants" expenses in the profit and loss accounts of the business for the years of assessment 2009-10 to 2011-12. In the employer's returns for these three years of assessment, the business reported that two persons were its employees and the yearly remuneration to each was $96,000. An investigation by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) revealed that the two persons did not work for the appellant or her business and did not receive any remuneration from the appellant. The yearly false expenses of "office assistants" were $192,000, thereby reducing the assessable profits of the appellant's business for the three years of assessment by $576,000. The tax involved was $75,033. The appellant also falsely declared in her tax returns for the years of assessment 2008-09 and 2013-14 to 2016-17 that her father resided with her continuously for the full year during the five years of assessment and claimed additional dependent parent allowance in the amount of $194,000. The tax involved was $11,816. The total of the appellant's false claims of expenses and allowances for the eight years of assessment was $770,000 and the total tax evaded was $86,849.
A spokesman for the IRD reminded taxpayers that tax evasion is a criminal offence under the IRO. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty for each charge is three years' imprisonment and a fine of $50,000 plus a further fine of three times the amount of tax evaded.
STL visits Guangxi
The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, led members of the Hong Kong Logistics Development Council(LOGSCOUNCIL) and representatives from the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department as well as the Marine Department to visit Guangxi today (January 8), where they viewed local transport and logistics facilities and introduced the local trade to Hong Kong's latest logistics development.
Upon her arrival in Nanning yesterday evening (January 7), Ms Chan met with the Executive Vice Chairman of the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr Xu Yongke, and exchanged views on strengthening maritime and logistics collaborations between Hong Kong and Guangxi. Speaking at a Guangxi-Hong Kong seminar on transport and logistics this morning, Ms Chan said that Hong Kong serves as a prominent bridge connecting the nation with the global market, while Guangxi is an important channel for exchanges with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and also a key node under the Belt and Road Initiative. Hong Kong and Guangxi signed the Framework Agreement on Deepening Strategic Co-operation for the Guangxi-Hong Kong Task Force on Transport and Logistics last year, opening up expansive room for co-operation between the two places in the areas of transportation and logistics.
Ms Chan and the delegation later visited the Nanning International Railway Port and the China-Singapore Nanning International Logistics Park to learn about the operation of the related facilities. "This is my first duty visit since assuming the office of the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, and it is also the first Mainland duty visit for the LOGSCOUNCIL after the pandemic, underscoring our high priority attached to the logistics and maritime collaboration between Hong Kong and Guangxi," Ms Chan said.
Ms Chan added that Hong Kong, being an international maritime, aviation and logistics hub, is privileged to enjoy the institutional advantage of being "part of China but outside the Mainland". Since the commissioning of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the driving distance between Hong Kong and Guangxi has been largely shortened. Together with the commissioning of the Three-Runway System at Hong Kong International Airport which enhances the air cargo capacity of the city, Hong Kong can better utilise the extensive aviation network to connect the Mainland with the world where goods from Guangxi can be more readily exported to various overseas destinations. On the other hand, arising from the promotion of building a "New Land-Sea Corridor for Western Regions", the recent development of the Guangxi Beibu Gulf has been rapid. As an international maritime centre, Hong Kong's advantage of possessing numerous and dense shipping routes can provide highly efficient and convenient transit services for goods transferring to and from the Beibu Gulf. Ms Chan expects to further enhance and deepen the logistics and maritime ties between Hong Kong and Guangxi to facilitate logistics and maritime connectivity.
Ms Chan concluded her duty visit to Guangxi and will return to Hong Kong tonight.
STL visits Guangxi Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
STL visits Guangxi Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
STL visits Guangxi Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
STL visits Guangxi Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
STL visits Guangxi Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
STL visits Guangxi Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
STL visits Guangxi Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
STL visits Guangxi Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
STL visits Guangxi Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
