URA Staff Member Faces Charges over Alleged Impersonation and Forgery

official of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) is facing several charges relating to impersonation and forgery.

The official has been identified as Isa Kakooza. Until recently, Kakooza served in the URAs as a fleet assistant.

The four charges include impersonation, obtaining money by false pretenses, abscondment of duty, solicitation and forgery.

According to preliminary investigations, the suspect while impersonating a URA Domestic Taxes officer in uniform with a URA ID photocopy, approached a tax payer in Seeta and made a tax assessment of shs80,000 which he asked to be paid in cash.

The alleged offences were unearthed when the taxpayer became suspicious and made a call to URA via the whistleblowing toll free line to inquire whether one can be assessed without a TIN number.

The matter was then reported to the O/C Seeta Police station as Kakooza attempted to flee. Police then apprehended the suspect, who is now in custody pending court proceedings. Kakooza, who has been on the run until yesterday, is said to have three case files of similar offences that took place in Kayunga and Nabweru. A car Kakooza was using to run around has also been impounded.

IMPOUNDED: The car Kakooza was using to aid his crimes.

“As URA, we have a policy of zero-tolerance to corruption. Therefore, we would like to warn the public against such culprits and encourage you to report any such cases as soon as possible,” said URA Commissioner General John Musinguzi.

Musinguzi urged taxpayers and members of the public to be vigilant and avoid dealing with individuals who claim they can influence official tax processes or reduce tax assessments in exchange for money.

The suspect is set to be arraigned in court tomorrow, 10th July to answer the charges brought against him