MIRA to submit cases in relation to 91 bounced cheques

Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) has announced its decision to file civil and criminal charges against 91 groups which have failed to settle payments for bounced cheques within the defined duration.

Director of Taxation Fathullah Jameel said today that 91 groups had failed to settle payments for 165 cheques before the deadline of 15 July.

“We have decided to submit our cases to the Police. The Police will send them to the Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office, which will then press charges against these groups. They were given enough opportunities to settle the payments,” he said.

According to MIRA’s statements, the government is short of MVR3.7 million as a result of bounced cheques.

MIRA said that the issue of bounced cheques became a problem subsequent to commencement of collection of payments from foreign nationals.

MIRA has announced new policies for accepting payments by cheque, which requires registration before cheque payments can be made. Also, failure to receive payment within 20 days of a bounced cheque would result in the case being filed to court.

Moreover, owners of bounced cheques will be blacklisted, charged interest, and fined by MIRA. Three days are given to make payment for bounced cheques, through a guaranteed cheque or cash.

Under existing laws, any person convicted in a bounced-cheque case would be banished or imprisoned for six to 24 months.