URA Boss Under Probe, Suspended Over Illegal Sale of Impounded Goods

A senior official from Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has been suspended for alleged abuse of office.

The officer (names withheld) was suspended after reports landed on his superior’s desk that he sold confiscated goods to his family member at an undervalued price.

It is alleged that the said official, used his office to facilitate the illegal sale of a trader’s goods and was given a kickback by the relative who bought them.

The deal was also involved in by an MP whose car , a double cabin pick up was seen at the URA offices, and reportedly exchanged a black bag with the URA official supposedly containing an unspecified amount of money which was given to the URA Boss’s driver.

Some senior officers have also been accused of hijacking customs responsibilities by taking the cases to their offices and arm-twisting the offenders to settle matters out of court. In some cases, importers and tax defaulters pay only less money after negotiations instead of the full tax liability. It is not clear what happens to the balance.

The arrest comes after reports that several Top officials at the tax body have in recent months been suspended over corruption and bribery scams.

‘’He is among those reducing tax liability .He was ordered to step out of office effective Monday to allow investigations. He is also being probed over favoritism in recruiting some URA staff’’, said a source.

The Group later deposited the money in one of the banks in Town after the URA boss’s relative was given the goods.

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