Former Kenyan minister Stephen Kipkiyeny Tarus is facing the possibility of three years in a Ugandan jail if allegations made by Ugandan tax authorities are proven in court. The former minister, who served during the Mwai Kibaki era, has been accused of smuggling gold using forged documents, leading to a substantial loss in revenue for the Ugandan government.
Tarus, 57, was apprehended by officials from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) on January 11, 2024, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of gold. The estimated value of the gold is $30,004, equivalent to about Uganda Shillings 114 million, representing the revenue loss incurred by the government.
The arrest followed an investigation conducted by the URA, revealing Tarus’s alleged involvement in an illegal gold smuggling cartel, causing significant financial harm to the Ugandan government.
The accused was remanded to Luzira Prison by the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala, where Grade One Magistrate Esther Asiimwe presided over the case. Tarus will remain in custody until January 18, 2023, facing charges related to the falsification of export documents.
Stephen Kipkiyeny Tarus, who previously served as the Assistant Minister of Internal Security under President Mwai Kibaki’s administration, had also been appointed as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Australia from 2009 to 2012. His diplomatic role came after an unsuccessful attempt to be re-elected as the Member of Parliament for Emgwen in 2007. Tarus had previously served as the Member of Parliament for Emgwen Constituency from 2003 to 2007.
The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime reports that Uganda serves as a regional hub for illicit gold smuggling originating from various parts of East Africa. The smuggled gold is often destined for major gold trade hubs, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Notably, Kampala and Entebbe attract significant volumes of gold from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan, with smaller flows originating from Kenya.
