URA Bosses Pinned On Forged Kasese Stamps
Jun 27, 2003
FIVE Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) officials on trial for causing a loss of sh338m, were on Thursday accused of forging stamps and signatures of Kasese customs office,
FIVE Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) officials on trial for causing a loss of sh338m, were on Thursday accused of forging stamps and signatures of Kasese customs office, reports Hillary Kiirya.
They include former commissioner Large Tax Payers Department Martin Feta, assistant commissioner Audit Sam Manana, 43, assistant commissioner in-charge of business analysis Heridai Katongole Kizza, 52, assistant commissioner Audit II, Felix Odongkara, and the public relations officer Paul Tumuhairwe, 39.
Testifying in the case, Henry Kityaba, a customs officer in Kasese said, “On June 19, 2002 officers from CID came asking me about five bills of entries that were being questioned by URA, Kampala. However, out of the five only one was genuine and the rest had been forged from Kampala.â€
He said they bore different entry and verification numbers yet normally the two numbers are the same.
“The documents bore my handwriting but the signatures were not mine. Even the stamps (entry and release) were not from our customs office. They had been forged because ours had red ink throughout but the forged one had purple and red ink,†said Kityaba.
Kityaba was appearing before Buganda Road Court Chief Magistrate Frank Nigel Othiembi to testify against the five officials.
McDusman Kabega represents the accused.
The Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Simon Mugenyi Byabakama, alleged the five officials caused financial loss by sanctioning goods which were not exported. The companies whose goods were sanctioned are Kyamu Agencies, Musco Enterprises Limited.
Epoget Iteso Agencies Limited, Business Enterprises, USIA Wholesalers Limited, Ngambo Agencies Limited, Mwesa Distributors, Capital International Limited and Wabushere Trading Stores.
Two companies, Wabushire Exporters and Nzirimu Exporters & Importers, were mentioned as some of the companies whose goods were being exported using the forged bill of entries.
Ends
They include former commissioner Large Tax Payers Department Martin Feta, assistant commissioner Audit Sam Manana, 43, assistant commissioner in-charge of business analysis Heridai Katongole Kizza, 52, assistant commissioner Audit II, Felix Odongkara, and the public relations officer Paul Tumuhairwe, 39.
Testifying in the case, Henry Kityaba, a customs officer in Kasese said, “On June 19, 2002 officers from CID came asking me about five bills of entries that were being questioned by URA, Kampala. However, out of the five only one was genuine and the rest had been forged from Kampala.â€
He said they bore different entry and verification numbers yet normally the two numbers are the same.
“The documents bore my handwriting but the signatures were not mine. Even the stamps (entry and release) were not from our customs office. They had been forged because ours had red ink throughout but the forged one had purple and red ink,†said Kityaba.
Kityaba was appearing before Buganda Road Court Chief Magistrate Frank Nigel Othiembi to testify against the five officials.
McDusman Kabega represents the accused.
The Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Simon Mugenyi Byabakama, alleged the five officials caused financial loss by sanctioning goods which were not exported. The companies whose goods were sanctioned are Kyamu Agencies, Musco Enterprises Limited.
Epoget Iteso Agencies Limited, Business Enterprises, USIA Wholesalers Limited, Ngambo Agencies Limited, Mwesa Distributors, Capital International Limited and Wabushere Trading Stores.
Two companies, Wabushire Exporters and Nzirimu Exporters & Importers, were mentioned as some of the companies whose goods were being exported using the forged bill of entries.
Ends