Bishop Obinim, founder and leader of the International Godsway Church has had his miseries compounded as a court has just ordered him to pay about GH¢1.6bn to the state.
The Ghanaian Times reports that on November 15, 2018, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) served the embattled Bishop with a Notice of Tax Due requiring him to settle a tax liability of GH¢1,591,797.50 and followed with a final demand notice on June 17, 2019, requiring him to settle his tax obligation by June 28, 2019.
However, expressing his dissatisfaction with the GRA, Obinim filed a Notice of Tax Objection which was served on GRA on July 30, 2019. According to the report, his reasons for the objection were inter alia, that he is the Head Pastor of the International Godsway Church, the church fully takes care of his expenses and hence he does not receive any remuneration from the church.
Obinim, therefore wanted the court to declare that the issuance and service on him to clear his tax liability is null and void.
But, an Accra High Court presided by Justice Doreen G. Boakye-Agyei, has dismissed Obinim’s application, ruling that the GRA indeed followed due procedure in determining and notifying the applicant of his tax liability.
Justice Boakye Agyei stated that the applicant, having admitted that he was served with notice of his tax liability should have followed the prescribed rules to have his grievances addressed.
“He cannot use his failure as a ground to seek judicial review. This instant case is not a proper and appropriate case for the court to exercise its powers of judicial review,” Justice Boakye-Agyei stated.
