Cronje could face stiff tax penalty

JOHANNESBURG, JUNE 24. South Africa's disgraced former cricket captain, Hansie Cronje, could face a bill of more than 2,84,000 rand ($ 41,000) from the South African Revenue Service in outstanding taxes and penalties, a local newspaper said today.

The Johannesburg Saturday Star reported that this was the amount Cronje could be asked to pay if he cooperated with tax authorities, ``pending investigation to determine his total earnings from bribes.''

The newspaper said the immunity from criminal prosecution offered to Cronje for ``full disclosure'' during the Government inquiry would not cover his tax liability nor an alleged offence against the Exchange Control Act for failing to declare foreign currency he had admitted to have kept at home. A contravention of this Act carried a possible fine of 2,50,000 rand ($ 36,420) or five years in prison.

Foreign currency brought into South Africa is required to be declared and sold within 30 days. The report also said the South African Police Services' Asset Forfeiture Unit was taking an interest in Cronje's assets, and that if the crime were proved it might be possible for the unit to seize Cronje's luxury house on the Fancourt golf estate at George in the western cape, as well as cash deposits.

- Reuters

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Section  : International
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