Kenya Fluospar Company Ltd (KFC) had been issued an assessment related to VAT and transfer pricing – leasing of mining equipment, mining services and management services. The assessment was later set aside by the Tax Tribunal and an appeal was then filed by the tax authorities with the High Court THE JUDGEMENT The High Court dismissed the appeal of the tax authorities and decided in favour of KFC. Excerpts “B. Whether the Commissioner was right in the using Transactional Nett Margin Method (TNMM) instead of Split Profit Method (SPM) in determining how to share the income tax between KFC EPZ. 48. Rule 7 thus gives the various methods of choice, one of them being the profit split method. In this regard also, Rule 8(2) provides as follows – 8(2). A person shall apply the method most appropriate for his enterprise, having regard to the nature of the transaction, or class of related persons or function performed by such persons in relation to the transaction. 49. In my view, it follows from the above provisions that the choice of the most favourable tax assessment method is that of the tax payer and not the Commissioners. In this regard, I agree with the reasoning in the case of Unilever Kenya Ltd – vs – The Commissioner of Income Tax [2005]eKLR wherein it was held that the tax payer is entitled to choose the most favourable method to their advantage as far liability to tax is concerned. 50. I however, agree that the Commissioner can intervene where there is evidence of fraud or evasion of taxes. The Commissioner can also intervene and re-asses income tax of a taxpayer and raise additional assessments – see Pilli Management Consultants Ltd – vs – Commissioner of Income Tax – Mombasa HC Misc. Application No.525 of 2016. 51. The main issue that has arisen herein is that instead of addressing the objection raised using the selected profit margin method, the Commissioner changed to the Transactional Nett Margin Method without indicating the law that confers on the Commissioner the power to change the method. 52. Even in this appeal the Commissioner has not pointed the section of the law that gives it the right to change the choice method elected by the taxpayer. The Commissioner maintains that it has general power to change the method because they found new intangible assets of KFC. 53. First of all, there is no evidence that the mining and prospecting licences were new assets not known in the profit split method. Secondly, even if they were new intangible assets, the Commissioner would have to back his change of method with the law, which they have not. I thus find that the Commissioner had no legal power to change to a new method of Transaction Nett Margin method. The Commissioner could only use the Profit Split method chosen by the tax payer. The Commissioner was thus right in using the Transactional Nett Margin Method.” “C. Whether the alleged non benchmarked management services offered to KFC by a related non – resident company (KCMC) do in fact exist, and if so what value could be attributed to the same. 54. It is not in dispute that KFC entered into a management consultancy agreement with Kestrel Capital Management Limited (KCMC), such services to be provided upon requests. The Commissioner contends that no such management consultancy services were provided as no requests were made by KFC to KCMC for such services. KFC on the other hand maintains that they were provided with such management consultancy services by KCMC through meetings and other interactions on financial, investment and human resources matters, and relied on minutes of meetings held which were not disputed by the Commissioner. 55. In my view though indeed there is no evidence that any formal written requests for such management consultancy services was produced by KFC, there was evidence of interactions and meetings held. Such interactions and meetings between KFC and KCMC in my view were adequate proof of consultancy services provided. An adviser is an adviser and the final decision will still have to be made by the principal. If an adviser and a principal hold meetings and discuss items on the operations and management of the business affairs of the principal, in my view, that is adequate to satisfy the provision of consultancy services by the consultant. The fact that members of one corporate institution are the same in another corporate institution does not make a difference in law. As for the value to be attributed to the professional services provided, that will go according to the respective contract, and this court is not suited to determine the same with the facts placed before it.” “63. Consequently, and for the above reasons, I find that both appeals have no merits. I thus dismiss Appeal No. 2 of 2018 and No.3 of 2018 herein. Each of the parties will bear their respective costs of appeal.” Click here for other translation Kenya vs KFC ITA_3_&_2_of_2018__ Feb 2020 ...