Police still probing URA customs system hacking - court told

Investigations into a case involving an Information Technology (IT) consultant accused of laundering money after allegedly gaining unauthorised access to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) computerised customs system are still ongoing, court heard on Monday (October 12).

Ronnie Nsale, 39, a resident of Remera in Kigali, Rwanda, is accused of money laundering linked to the alleged unauthorised access to URA's customs system.

While appearing before court on October 12, Lydia Katami, the manager in charge of prosecution at URA, told the Anti-Corruption Court in Nakasero that investigators needed more time to complete their inquiries.

Katami made the submission before Principal Grade One Magistrate Paul Mujuni, and asked the court to allow the prosecution more time to continue with investigations.

Nsale is jointly charged with three URA customs officers: John Mawerere, a resident of Katabi in Entebbe Municipality, Wakiso District; Godfrey Omonyi, a resident of Kyebando, Kawempe Division; and Marvin Kayima, a resident of Banda, Wakiso District.

The three URA officers are accused of falsifying tax information relating to the importation of motor vehicles.

According to the prosecution, between August and September 2024, Nsale and his co-accused knowingly converted and transferred money allegedly obtained through fraudulent evasion of customs duty.

The prosecution alleges that the accused used customs entry number UGKLA C73959 and fraudulently claimed payment of customs duties and tax clearances through URA's Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA).

The prosecution further alleges that part of the money was remitted to a mobile money account belonging to URA, while another portion was sent to Nsale's mobile money account.

It is further alleged that the transactions were intended to conceal the illicit origin of the money.

It is also alleged that the accused manipulated customs entry C42731 for a Toyota Harrier, registration number UBR 998H, by falsely indicating that sh24.1m in customs duty had been paid under Payment Registration Number (PRN) 625000, using Tax Identification Number (TIN) 1027802835 belonging to Shafik Wamala.

In another count, it is alleged that Nsale, together with URA officers (Mawerere, Omonyi, and Kayima) as well as Joshua Rubagasira Asiimwe, a manager at Toll Free of Spectrum Uganda, located along Ntinda–Stretcher Road in Kampala, and another accused person identified as Jackson Birungi, falsified information stored in the customs computerised system to allegedly facilitate the clearance of motor vehicle tax.

The prosecution further alleges that the accused aided the commission of a tax offence on August 6, 2024, in Kampala, by falsifying the clearance details of a Toyota Harrier motor vehicle, registration number UBR 998H.

The accused allegedly used TIN 1027802835 belonging to Wamala and falsely indicated that customs duty amounting to sh24.1 million had been paid.