Three individuals have been charged with providing false information to a tax officer at the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), concerning taxes amounting to 450 million shillings.
The accused, namely Dorothy Nanyunja, Vincent Kalibala, and Muhammad Lugoloobi, were formally charged on November 1, 2023. Their charges were presented before Magistrate Christopher Opit at the Anti-Corruption Court located in Nakasero, Kampala.
The allegations against them suggest that in June 2022, within Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District, they submitted a tax return for the month of May 2022. This return claimed that Jeber Investments Limited had acquired spare parts from Grace Kamugisha, a transaction purportedly valued at sh55.5 million. However, it is now contended that this transaction never occurred.
Additionally, as per the prosecution’s claims, on July 14, 2022, in Nansana, Wakiso District, the accused, who were entrusted with the responsibility of filing tax returns, submitted returns for June 2022. These returns stated that Jeber Investments Limited had purchased spare parts from Kamugisha, amounting to sh61.1 million. It is now alleged that these declarations were false.
Court records indicate further accusations that on August 15, 2022, Nanyunja, Kalibala, and Lugoloobi submitted false statements claiming that Jeber Investment Limited had acquired spare parts from Kamugisha for sh227 million.
Furthermore, the prosecution contends that the accused presented tax returns for August 2022 on September 13, 2022. These returns purportedly showed that they had bought goods worth sh114 million from Hildah Kwarissma. However, it is now asserted that this claim was untrue. The accused have pleaded not guilty to these charges.
Following the court proceedings, Magistrate Opit ordered that the accused be remanded to Luzira Prison until November 2, 2023, pending further consideration of their bail application.
It is important to note that under Ugandan law, an individual found guilty of providing false information to a tax officer may face a fine of sh980,000 upon conviction.
