Top URA Officials Accused of Corruption, Soliciting Bribes from Tax Defaulters to Reduce Liability Suspended

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) management led by Commissioner General (CG), John Musinguzi Rujoki has reportedly suspended over seven Top officials from Domestic Taxes (DT) and customs departments over abuse of office.

According to reliable sources, the suspended senior officials; two from the Domestic Taxes and the five from Customs have been reportedly soliciting bribes from tax defaulters to reduce their liability.

‘’The seven are accused of corruption, causing financial loss, forgery, abuse of office and interfering with computerized Customs systems’’, a source within the government revenue collection body revealed, adding that they were ordered to leave office to pave the way for investigations into alleged misconduct.

It is alleged that the accused persons have been assessing taxpayers to ascertain compliance as routine exercises but in due course ask for bribes from the defaulter to reduce the amount.

‘’Overwhelmed by the demand, some defaulters have been reluctant to quickly respond to the suspects requests and ultimately, the information about this misconduct leaked to the Commissioner General who together with his team suspended them’’, a source added.

Among the cases include defaulters; who owes Shs 2b to URA but the liability was reduced to Shs 5m, Shs 300m to 10m, 90m to 5m and 100m was totally erased in the system (Defaulter cleared of the liability).

Our Sources further noted that if found guilty, the URA Management Disciplinary Committee can eventually terminate the accused person’s services, be charged in courts of law, In addition face disqualification from holding a public office for a period of 10 years.

‘’URA’s image is tarnished as some clients may think that to get a service from URA, staff must be bribed. In the long run, this may lead to noncompliance that affects revenue performance,” remarked a source.

Efforts to get the URA spokesperson about the matter were futile by press time.

A number of URA staff has in the recent year been charged at the Anti-Corruption Court Division of the High Court with offences of; Abuse of Office, Causing Financial Loss, and False Claims contrary to the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2009.

If these taxpayers do not comply the tax body is likely to lose billions of shillings to defaulters worsened by the schemers in the authority.

Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) continue to afflict Uganda’s economy, a loss estimated to be in excess of UGX 2 trillion annually.

It should be noted that URA has a zero tolerance policy to corruption, with a steadfast pledge to serve with the highest levels of Patriotism, Integrity and Professionalism. The country’ Tax collection body committed to mobilizing revenue for national development in an efficient and transparent manner and has in the past.

Determination of tax payable is made in consideration of the Customs value, tax rates based on the customs tariff nomenclature (EAC- CET) and the Origin of the goods or other instruments of the law, which are provided for in the relevant schedules of the EAC- CMA (2004).