____________________

The case where two employees of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) are accused of soliciting a bribe amounting to shillings 800 million from a taxpayer, has been fixed for a pre-trial. 

The Nakasero-based Anti-Corruption Court presided over by Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro on April 18, 2024, fixed the pre-trial of Caroline Naggoli and Benedict Sekaayi, for June 4, 2024. 

A pre-trial is a hearing before the main trial, in which all the parties involved in the trial agree on issues of law and facts. 

Magistrate Aciro on April 18, 2024, fixed the case after the prosecution team led by URA legal team’s Hildah Atusimiire and Stella Nayebare informed the court that the inquiries into the case are complete and ready to adduced evidence in court to prosecute the accused persons. 

Atusimiire and Nayebare told the court that the state is ready to disclose the available evidence the prosecution will rely on during the trial. 

Prosecution’s case

The charges against Naggoli and Sekaayi include offences of corruption and abuse of office, as outlined in sections 2(a), 26, and 11(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009 as amended. If convicted, the offence of corruption carries a penalty of up to 10 years in jail, while abuse of office could lead to a sentence of seven years imprisonment or a fine not exceeding shillings 1.3 million, or both. 

According to the prosecution on March 30, 2023, at Guanghua Hotel in Kololo, Kampala Naggoli, and Sekaayi, in the performance of their duties as a supervisor and URA officer respectively, sought a bribe of shillings 800 million from Tong Jiao to reduce the tax liability from sh4.1 billion to shillings 2.2 billion. 

Furthermore, the prosecution alleges that Naggoli and Sekaayi abused their positions at URA by demanding a bribe from Tong Jiao to reduce tax liability owed by Migoo and Trading Company Limited. This, the prosecution says was prejudicial to the interests of URA.

Both accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the charges and they are out on bail.