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The Director of Afri-White, and also a businessman, has been charged with eleven counts of evading tax, totalling shillings 539 million.

On March 19, 2024, Dennis Banex Namanya, a resident of Kyanja-Kungu, Nakawa division in Kampala, was charged at the Nakasero-based Anti-Corruption Court before senior principal grade one magistrate Albert Asiimwe.

Namanya was charged with making false statements to a tax officer, contrary to Section 58(1)(a) of the Tax Procedure Act. If convicted, he faces 10 years in jail or a fine of shillings 110 million.

It is alleged that on August 13, 2022, in Kampala, Afri-White Investment Ltd managing director Namanya made a false statement to a Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) officer. He claimed that he had purchased Silky hardware worth shillings 55.7 million.

Dennis Banex Namanya being escorted by a Police officer to Wandegeya Anti-Corruption court where he was charged of making false statements to a tax officer (Photo by Edward Luyimbaazi)

The prosecution, led by Allan Nkoyoyo, further alleges that on October 8, 2022, Namanya made a false claim to a URA officer regarding the value-added tax return for the month of September 2022. Namanya purported to have purchased goods totaling shillings 131 million from Hildah Kwarissma.

According to the prosecution, it is alleged that Namanya made a statement to URA claiming that he had purchased goods worth shillings 184 million from Ayona General Enterprises Limited, which was not the case.

Furthermore, the prosecution alleges that on September 15, 2023, Namanya knowingly made a false statement in connection to the value-added tax return, purporting to have purchased goods worth 31.5 million shillings from Fahad Ssenfuka.

Additionally, it is alleged that Namanya made yet another false claim, asserting that he had purchased goods worth shillings 13.1 million from Ayona General Enterprises Limited, which was not the case.

The prosecution further alleges that on November 14, 2023, while employed at Afri-White Investments Limited, Namanya purported that he had purchased goods amounting to shillings 92.4 million from Ibrahim Wangolo.

It is further alleged that between March 2022 and August 2023, Namanya made a false statement to URA regarding value-added tax returns, claiming that the company sold goods amounting to shillings 26 million to Shopwise Retail Limited, which was not true. He denied the charges.

Magistrate Asiimwe granted Namanya bail after he presented three sureties in court. Nkoyoyo informed the court that investigations are still ongoing and requested a one-month period for the police to conclude inquiries.