(Kampala) – Three individuals accused of attempting to recover goods from Muscle Group Limited, a company under investigation for failing to pay Sh1.3 billion in taxes, are set to return to the Anti-Corruption Court in Nakasero to seek bail. The three accused, Felix Ssebunya, 33, a driver; Dickson Mujjumba, 21, a mechanic; and 20-year-old Muzafaru Ndugga, were arrested after allegedly trying to interfere with goods under tax proceedings.
The men appeared in court on Friday, November 8, 2024, where they were further remanded in custody after their bail request was rejected. They face charges of rescuing goods subject to tax, an offense under Section 70 of the Tax Procedures Code Act. The case was presided over by Principal Grade One Magistrate Christopher Opit.
The charge carries a potential penalty of up to three years in prison or a fine of up to Sh5 million. The prosecution claims that the three accused were caught loading iron bars onto a truck (UAV 542W) at Muscle Hardware in Lubowa on October 27, 2024. These iron bars, according to the prosecution, belong to Muscle Group Limited, which is currently under a tax seal due to unpaid taxes. The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) is leading the prosecution, with Hildah Atusimiire and Stella Nayebare representing the authority in court.
The accused are alleged to have acted in direct violation of URA’s directives, which prohibited any attempt to remove goods that were subject to tax distress proceedings. The prosecution argued that the accused men were involved in trying to unlawfully recover the goods to avoid tax obligations.
During the court proceedings, Atusimiire requested an adjournment to verify the authenticity of the bail documents submitted by the defense. She informed the court that the defense lawyers had provided the documents on short notice, and there was insufficient time to verify them immediately. Magistrate Opit granted the request, allowing the prosecution time to authenticate the documents, including letters from the local council, before the bail hearing could proceed.
