The Chairman of Fiji Island Revenue and Customs Authority has expressed concern about tax evasion reports in the Daily Post against a minister in the Interim Government.

Filipe Bole said FIRCA believes a few officers who are under investigation for defrauding the state of tax revenue are orchestrating the campaign without any substance.

In a statement this afternoon, Bole claims that FIRCA has suspended three staff and sent one senior official on leave pending investigations after a number of staff were allegedly involved in a VAT refund scam and for manipulating their own tax position.

Bole said they have evidence that some officer have colluded with companies to approve fraudulent VAT refunds and a reduction of their tax liability. He said FIRCA has NOT released any information about any taxpayer and has also denied that tax files and information have been released to any minister in the Interim Government as alleged in today Daily Post.

Bole said FIRCA will carry out proper investigations about any specific complaint substantiated by evidence however it is irresponsible and malicious for the newspaper to make such malicious and wild claims.