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PHILIPSBURG--The criminal court case against local businessman Silvio Matser and his company Energizer N.V., which was initially scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed until December 3.
Matser, who is the owner of Energizer N.V., is charged with tax evasion to the amount of US $3.2 million, in connection with non-payment of income tax, social security premiums for workers and turnover tax on behalf of his construction company.
Matser is running in the parliamentary election as the number 23 candidate on United People's (UP) party slate.
Energizer's director was held and questioned on January 25, 2013, in connection with this tax investigation.
The formal charges include tax evasion and forgery of tax returns allegedly committed between January 1, 2006, and October 10, 2010, and alleged tax evasion over the fiscal years 2006 and 2007.
Energizer's 47-year-old director is denying the allegations. During a court hearing held in December 2013, he said he was under the impression he was exempted of payment of turnover tax and workers' premiums for work carried out at Porto Cupecoy and The Westin Dawn Beach Resort and Spa.
According to Matser, Energizer was exempted of payment of these taxes as sub-contractor, because the developer had obtained a tax holiday for these projects.
Energizer and its director will also contest statements they had never requested a tax holiday with the Inspector of Taxes.
Due to problems with the delivery of summonses and the vacation of one of Matser's defence lawyers, the judge decided to postpone Wednesday's hearing. Matser and his legal representatives were not present during yesterday's brief formal proceedings.
The planned court hearing of December 3, 2014, is expected to take a full day. Matser's (tax) attorneys informed the court they would each need two hours for their pleadings.
