Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has arrested one of its senior customs officials after he was allegedly caught receiving a USD60,000 bribe, equivalent to about Shs222 million, from a taxpayer at a restaurant in Kampala.
The suspect has been identified as Ssozi Geoffrey, the Manager of External Operations in the Customs Department. According to URA, Ssozi allegedly approached a taxpayer whose company was undergoing a tax audit and offered to help stop or interfere with the process in exchange for money.
URA Assistant Commissioner for Public and Corporate Affairs, Robert Kalumba, confirmed the arrest and explained how the alleged corruption scheme was uncovered.
Kalumba said the suspect allegedly worked with a clearing agent to convince the taxpayer that they could help the company avoid or cut short the ongoing tax audit.
“There was an audit that was being done on the taxpayer and this team got in touch with the taxpayer, with the help of the clearing agent, and tried to convince them that they can help the taxpayer cut out that audit,” Kalumba said.
According to URA, the alleged bribe was initially set at USD100,000, but the amount was later negotiated down to USD60,000. Investigators then moved in after receiving information from a whistleblower who alerted the authority about the suspected deal.
URA officials reportedly conducted further investigations before the operation that resulted in Ssozi’s arrest during the alleged exchange of the money.
The clearing agent who was allegedly involved in the deal was also arrested and is assisting investigators as they work to establish whether other people were involved in the suspected scheme.
The money recovered during the operation is expected to be presented in court as an exhibit once the case is formally processed. URA’s legal team is also preparing the necessary documents for prosecution.
The arrest comes at a time when URA is intensifying its fight against corruption within the authority. Commissioner General John R. Musinguzi has repeatedly warned staff against engaging in corrupt practices, saying such actions can lead to loss of government revenue and damage public trust in the tax body.
Musinguzi said URA has a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and encouraged members of the public to report officials who demand bribes or attempt to interfere with tax processes.
“The fight against corruption is intensifying in URA and we continue to uphold a zero-tolerance policy to it,” Musinguzi said.
He further called on taxpayers, businesses and other members of the public to provide information whenever they come across suspected corruption, saying whistleblowers are important in helping URA identify and close loopholes through which government revenue can be lost.
The case has also drawn attention to the risks of corruption in tax administration, where attempts to influence audits or tax assessments can unfairly affect businesses and deprive the government of much-needed revenue.
URA has assured the public that investigations into the matter will continue and that action will be taken against anyone found to have participated in the alleged corruption scheme.
The authority has also reminded the public that suspected corruption involving URA staff or operations can be reported through its toll-free number 0800 257 700.
