By Keefa Nuwahereza
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has dragged popular musician Joseph Mayanja aka Jose Chameleone to the Anticorruption court, over allegations of evading taxes for a vehicle he illegally imported into the country from South Sudan.
According to summons seen by this website, Chameleone has been ordered to appear without fail before the Anticorruption Court in Kololo on July 30th, 2020 to answer for charges of being in possession of unauthorized goods contrary to section 200(d) (iii) of the East African Community Customs Management Act,2004, for evading taxes worth over Shs137M.
The case was filed by Simon Peter Lwanga, a URA Customs Officer, vide URA/GEF/89, 2020/ Nakawa after Chameleone refused to clear the taxes for his vehicle, a Land Cruiser VX despite several reminders from URA.
He also faces the offence of failure to produce documents when required to, Contrary to Section 204 (b) of the East African Community Customs Management Act 2004.
The summons read in part thus; “Joseph Mayanja was on 12th April 2020 found by Customs in possession of vehicle registration number SSD 499B. Uganda Revenue Authority Enforcement Team intercepted vehicle registration number SSD 499B Toyota Land Cruiser V8 GRJ 200 along Wakaliga Bulange Mengo.
Joseph Mayanja was requested to avail the team with documents regarding the legal status of the vehicle in Uganda which he promised to avail but failed. Import duty has not been paid on the said vehicle and it is valued at Shs137,350,725. Mr Mayanja Joseph knew or ought reasonably to have known that the vehicle was uncustomed.”