Clearing agents charged, remanded over tax evasion

KAMPALA - Two clearing agents have been charged with the fraudulent evasion of duty amounting to sh84 million owed to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).

They are 54-year-old Godfrey Laaza Basanga, a resident of Njeru town council, and Juliet Aneno, a 45-year-old resident of Amahoro B Cell, Malaba town council.

They were on April 1 charged alongside a broker, 43-year-old Peter Male Luminsa, who is a resident of Wampewo, Gayaza.

They appeared before the Anti-Corruption Court in Nakasero, where they were charged with one count of fraudulent evasion of payment of duty, contrary to Section 203(e) of the East African Community Customs Management Act, 2004. 

They were charged before Principal Grade One Magistrate Paul Mujuni.

The trio was remanded to Luzira Prison after failing to present sureties in court to support their bail application.

The prosecution team alleges that the accused, together with others still at large, fraudulently manipulated the URA customs ASYCUDA system in March 2025. 

They are accused of altering Payment Registration Number (PRN) 6250011933886 to falsely indicate that payment had been made, thereby evading taxes amounting to sh84 million.

ASYCUDA is an automated computerized customs management system used by URA to process customs declarations and generate trade data. 

The accused denied the charge.

“The accused persons are hereby remanded until April 9, 2025, for the hearing of the bail application,” ruled Magistrate Mujuni.