The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Intelligence Unit has arrested two men who had been masquerading as URA officers and defrauding unsuspecting business owners in Busabala, a Kampala suburb.
The suspects, identified as Batesaki Kassim, 34, and Mugisha Justus, 48, were apprehended on Monday following a sting operation coordinated by URA and the Uganda Police Force.
The arrest came after a business owner, who had previously fallen victim to the duo’s extortion scheme, tipped off authorities. The two men had allegedly posed as URA clearing agents and demanded money from traders over alleged violations, including the absence of Digital Tax Stamps on goods like waragi and cigarettes.
Speaking on the matter, Col. Cassette Ignatius Wamundu, the Manager for Intelligence at URA, confirmed that the suspects were not employees of the tax authority.
“These are not URA staff. They are criminals exploiting our name, and we are working tirelessly to weed such people out,” he stated.
According to Col. Wamundu, the suspects had successfully extorted money from a trader a day before their arrest, collecting UGX 500,000. One of the suspects, Batesaki Kassim, was found wearing a URA-branded shirt, which he claimed had been given to him by a former customs officer named “Boaz.”
During interrogation, Batesaki also admitted to having been previously arrested five years ago on similar charges but said he was pardoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions at the time.
URA confirmed that both suspects would face charges of impersonation and bribery, and will be arraigned in court soon.
The authority used the opportunity to caution the public against dealing with individuals who claim to be URA agents without proper identification.
“Always verify with official URA channels before making any payments or disclosures,” URA urged in a statement.
The arrest is part of a broader crackdown by URA to dismantle fraudulent networks exploiting the agency’s name to defraud the public.
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