Intimidation Against URA, Liberty ICD Can Not Taint Reputations

The attention of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), has been drawn to a social media article from one Anita Muhangi Ntomiyanjojo, claiming her friend lost goods, placed in its custody.

 Ntomiyanjojo claims her friend, Bridget Akampa, is not bold enough to make demands on the purported losses and hence wrote the malicious post on Social Media on her behalf.

She also goes ahead and purports that a logistics storage service provider Liberty ICD Limited, is complicit in disappearance of the items including clothing and handbags.

Liberty ICD is a logistics storage service provider of global repute, and their client can attest to that. What is disheartening is that unscrupulous persons, clearly acting out of blackmail and malice, decide to make ludicrous claims of lost property.

According to a Director at Liberty ICD, the allegations are indeed baseless, and that is why the law and order enforcement officers at Central Police Station in Kampala, did not find merit in Ntomiyanjojo’s bassles claims.

 In the meantime regional CID Benon Ayebare opened a file SD REF 99/02/12/24 and gathered witness statements from the Consolidator (Marine Time), Cleaning Agents and Verification/Warehousing Staffs at Liberty ICD. They have also Summoned AKAMPA, BRIDGET and there after the file will be co-ordinated with KMP-East as the incident occurred in Mukono.

 However, on Wednesday, 11th December 2024 KMP East Regional CID Ayebare, insisted that the file be forwarded to him, even though Mukono had summoned Bridget Akampa.

When the summons was being delivered at her shop by Police on First Floor, Ntinda Capital Shoppers Mall, She actually went into hiding and therefore the summons could not be delivered.

 “The incident occurred in September this year and was initially resolved. However, two months later, Liberty ICD received a letter from CPS, in which Ntomiyanjojo alleged that 8 cartons were missing.

A subsequent meeting was held with the police officers, and it was discovered that a clearing agent for the individuals had only taken a few samples.

These claims, according to Liberty ICD, are clearly a frivolous attempt to blackmail the company and URA. As a reputable global company, backed by millions of testimonials confirming the safe, secure, and reliable storage of items worth millions of dollars over the years, Liberty ICD could have chosen to ignore these baseless allegations.

However, Liberty ICD emphasizes that it owes it to its numerous customers and the general public to set the record straight. “As a company, we cannot be involved in such unethical behavior as theft, which would jeopardize the very core of our business. We cannot engage in self-destructive acts that would potentially harm our existence as a business.”

According to Liberty ICD, for the samples that were taken and retained by the Clearing Agent of Ntomiyanjojo and Akampa, it cannot recover them.

These Agents were appoint by them and not Liberty nor URA. When Ntomiyanjojo and Akampa insisted on seeing the closed circuit television (CCTV) raw unedited footage, it was clear that it was there clearing agents and Consolidator Fahim Gereire, Ahmad Musa and Robert Kayonde Byakatonda, who opened the packaged goods in the Verification Area and removed the samples.

 Although the samples were removed, Liberty contends that the eight packages, which Ntomiyanjojo and Akampa claim are missing, exited the warehouse under supervision and were signed off by their clearing agents as “being in good condition.” It is said that Ntomiyanjojo and Akampa collected their properties without raising any complaints. According to procedure, owners of goods are required to be present during verification with URA and clearing agents.

 In the media report Akampa claimed, that 8 boxes were literally emptied on the floor, and then “Personal efforts" by the cleaning Agent and Marine Time were placed inside. In that Verification area there a 9 HD CCTV Cameras, and much security.

 So this is completely impossible as this reporter observed. The cameras clearly showed Hakim, a Marine Time staff merely carrying a small cavera, that can fit a small small quantity of samples.

 From the media messages it is obvious that Akampa received mixed items. (Shoes, Trousers, Bags, T-Shirts, Shirts, Sweaters, 2PC Sets) TOTAL 8 PKGS (40Kgs). She ordered these items from Yiwu, China and it appears did not ensure that did the seller did not change the contents e.g, The shoes selected may not be eventually packed. A common situation from Yiwu.

As a result, the supplier did not include the precise item ordered. Finally, there is another possibility that perhaps once the truck left the ICD, the unreliable transporter could have taken the packages to another store and items were replaced. This has happened in the past.

URA “It has come to our attention about a fraud case shared by Ntomiyanjojo via WhatsApp, in which she alleges that her property was lost due to actions by our staff and other agencies. We understand her frustration at take these claims seriously,” reads a public notice by URA.

 URA states that they are committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and integrity and that a thorough investigation has been initiated to determine the appropriate course of action.

From the evidence, documentation and CCTV cameras as far as URA Staff, and liberty Staff all the procedures were followed, and only a few items removed, that fit in a small cavera.

 The false claims against URA and Liberty ICD who consistently operate under very high standards are unfounded, and where this discrepancy occurred is most likely in China or outside the Bond facility.

 Unfortunately, during the verification and also exiting processes of the 8 cartons neither Akampa nor Ntomiyanjojo made personal effort to come and be part.

PRAYERS. 

The Clearing Agent Shamim, appointed by Akamba, and she signed the Warehouse Exit Note stating that “ALL GOODS LOADED IN GOOD CONDITION”. Our prayers are that this matter is resolved