URA probes Uhuru over tax evasion

May 03, 2016

Agnes Nabwire, assistant Commissioner in charge of Enforcement, told journalists at URA head office in Kampala on Monday, that they had intercepted a consignment weighing 18.5 metric tonnes that was being imported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).


Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) is investigating whether city businessman, Salim Uhuru, is allegedly involved in the importation of a consignment that contained undeclared goods.

Agnes Nabwire, assistant Commissioner in charge of Enforcement, told journalists at URA head office in Kampala on Monday, that they had intercepted a consignment weighing 18.5 metric tonnes that was being imported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). She said the goods were different from what was on the clearance papers.

She said that, the papers indicated the consignment was cement but on checking the container, they found 463 40-kg bags of pure Basmati rice, 15 20-litre jerry cans of cooking oil, 151 50-kg bags of Portland cement from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), 42 cartons of ceramic floor tiles, a 10-piece of duvets, and 5 cartons of tomato paste from UAE.

She added that the whole consignment was liable to tax amounting to sh119.2m but only sh46.3m.

She explained that the clearing agent, a one Moses Muwanguzi of Aramex (U) Ltd, disappeared on suspecting that something was wrong and as they (URA officials) were still wondering about the owner of the goods, Uhuru showed up allegedly claiming that he had gone to Malaba to buy the goods.

"Because we wanted him to tell us the owner of the goods from whom he was going buy them, we arrested him at Malaba on Friday but he was later transferred to Kiira Road Police post where he was released on police bond on Saturday," she explained.

"We are still regarding him as the owner of goods until the rightful owner of the consignment is established. His showing up and involvement in the matter show that he could be the owner of the goods" Nabwire added.

However, Uhuru denies being the owner of the goods and tasked URA to produce evidence that he was the rightful owner of the goods in question.

He said that he is a law abiding citizen who has been transacting business through the lawful means and honouring his tax obligations.

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