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Three men – a Bahraini and two Iranians – are on trial for allegedly evading BD61,380 in value-added tax (VAT) owed to the government by their company, which sells car spare parts and lubricants.
The Bahraini defendant earlier admitted to charges, stating he was solely responsible for the company’s operations, and that his two business partners, facing trial in absentia, have not been in Bahrain since 2014 and 2019 respectively.
His lawyer submitted receipts to the High Criminal Court that show that he has paid off a considerable portion of the money owed to the NBR.
The three men were charged with failing to pay dues on taxable products and services provided by the company they own. The business itself is also standing trial, as an ‘artificial person’, of being used by the defendants to commit tax evasion.
“I started the company with two Iranian partners in 2007,” the 46-year-old Bahraini earlier testified. “I run the business, and they’re both out of the country.
“In 2022, the business declined, as many clients were not paying us on time. So, I had to redirect money, that was supposed to be go to the NBR, to instead pay my employees’ salaries.”
According to commercial registration (CR) portal Sijilat, the Bahraini owns 51 per cent of the business, while the Iranians own 10pc and 39pc respectively.
Sijilat records indicate that the company is licensed to sell motor vehicle parts and accessories, like car tyres, batteries, oils and radiators, as well as sell solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. It is also licenced to collect used and waste lubricating oils of all kinds.
The business’s Sijilat page reads ‘suspended by NBR’.
According to an NBR revenue analyst, the business did not file its reports since the second quarter (Q2) of 2022 to the Q4 of 2025, with the exception of two quarters, despite being registered with the NBR.
Meanwhile, the Iranians aged 45 and 74, appear to reside in Bastak in the south of Iran. They have not entered Bahrain in seven and 12 years respectively. Judges set September 29 as the date a verdict will be issued in the case.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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