Verona Fathers Accuse URA Over Sh100,000

By Milton OlupotTHE administrator of the Verona Fathers in Uganda, the Rev. Benito Ricci, yesterday accused the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) of wrongfully obtaining sh100,000 from their mission as presumptive tax.Ricci, who appeared before the commission inquiring into corruption in the tax body, said the money was taken in Moroto in June 2000 as presumptive tax for a Mitsubishi double-cabin pick-up truck 881 UAH, which was tax exempted.The Commissioner for Expansion and Collection, Ms. Feddy Mwerinde, admitted yesterday before the commission chaired by Justice Julia Ssebutinde, that the tax was wrongfully imposed and apologised to the Verona Fathers.The money was reportedly demanded by the Moroto revenue office, but Ricci later wrote to the URA headquarters seeking an explanation why a tax-free vehicle belonging to a church and doing non-profit making community service was taxed.The then acting commissioner Customs and Excise, Enock Okanya, who received the letter referred the matter to the Acting Commissioner for Internal Revenue, Deus Muhwezi, who cleared Ricci in September 2000, saying they were exempted from such taxes.The probe team, comprising James Kahoza and Fawn Cousens as commissioners and Maureen Owor as lead counsel, heard that Ricci has been chasing for the refund in vain.“We have lost time and money chasing for this money. We have been there (URA) more than 10 times, but to date, there is no refund,” Ricci told the commission.“There was an error by our Moroto office, I apologise that there was a lapse. I suggest he initiates the refund by filling forms obtainable in our offices,” Mwerinde said.Ends