Kiboga man charged, remanded over impersonation of revenue officer

According to the prosecution, a 38-year-old man between March and April 2024, presented himself as a Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) officer and purported to conduct compliance checks in Kasanda district.

Godfrey Tumusiime, a resident of Bwezibwera, Kiboga, was on May 3, 2024, charged with impersonating a URA officer.

Tumusiime was charged at the Nakasero-based Anti-Corruption Court before Senior Grade One Magistrate Christopher Opit with two offences: assuming the character of an officer, contrary to sections 198(a) and (b) of the East Africa Community Customs Act, 2004, and obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to section 305 of the Penal Code Act.

The prosecution, led by Hildah Atusimiire from URA, alleged that Tumusiime, between March and April 2024, at Rubale in Kasanda, presented himself as a URA officer and purported to conduct compliance checks in relation to Unvira Mumaana Enterprise SMS Limited.

It is further alleged that Tumusiime, while at the premises of the Unvira Mumaana Enterprise SMS Limited factory in Kyikandwa, Kasanda district, claiming to be a URA officer, obtained sh3m from Sulaiman Ssebunje, the proprietor of Unvira Mumaana Enterprise SMS Limited. 

Unvira Mumaana Enterprise SMS Limited manufactures Envubu Extra alcoholic Kombucha drinks. 

He denied the charges and was remanded to Luzira prison until May 14, 2024.

Opit declined to grant bail because Tumusiime failed to present substantial sureties for the court to release him on bail. 

The accused was advised to reapply and ensure that the sureties have all the necessary documents, such as national identification, a local council letter, and financial statements. 

Opit further explained that the Anti-Corruption Case Management Rule 7 requires an accused person to present sureties who have the financial capacity to stand as sureties.

Before he was remanded to Luzira Prisons, Tumusiime had asked the court to release him on bail on the grounds that he was sick. 

However, Opit stated that he needed to provide a medical report for the court to rely on and grant bail.