Fresh details have emerged surrounding the dismissal of two senior officials at the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), with serious allegations of corruption, bribery, tax fraud and abuse of office emerging against former Commissioner for Customs Asadu Kisitu Kigozi and Assistant Commissioner for Integrity, Compliance and Ethics James Abola.
Among the most striking issues is the clearance of a luxurious Rolls-Royce Cullinan reportedly valued at approximately Shs3.4 billion. According to a dismissal letter seen by this publication, Kigozi instructed the clearance of the vehicle without following the correct customs procedures, proper valuation requirements and payment of the required taxes.
The luxury vehicle had previously attracted public attention following reports about its acquisition, taxation and clearance. The latest allegations have now brought renewed attention to the handling of its customs clearance and the procedures followed by URA officials.
The decision to dismiss Kigozi followed a URA Board meeting held on November 4, in accordance with Section 10.7 of the URA Disciplinary and Grievance Management Guidelines of 2025.
The former Commissioner faced several allegations relating to his conduct while serving in one of the most important positions within the tax authority. In 2025, he was accused of concealing compliance information and the actual tax liability of Master Grain Volunteer Limited, allegedly causing significant revenue losses to the government for personal financial gain.
Kigozi was also accused of soliciting a bribe of Shs300 million from Timothy Segane, a clearing agent. In another incident in 2026, he was allegedly involved in receiving an additional Shs5 million from the same individual through an agent.
Another serious allegation concerns the manipulation of tax assessments to favour particular taxpayers. According to the disciplinary findings, Kigozi facilitated unfair business competition in 2025 and 2026 by allowing different tax rates to be applied to similar products, allegedly in exchange for personal financial benefits.
One example cited involves businessman James Matovu Galunsanja, who allegedly paid only Shs19 million in taxes using misleading documents, while other taxpayers reportedly paid more than Shs90 million for similar products. The allegations suggest that some taxpayers may have received preferential treatment, resulting in unfair competition and possible revenue losses.
The proceedings also raised questions about an incident on March 18, 2026, involving the approval of a re-export transaction.
Following the disciplinary proceedings, Kigozi was found guilty of several offences, including corruption, unsatisfactory performance, aiding and abetting offences, dishonesty, fraud and gross negligence.
Meanwhile, James Abola, who served as Assistant Commissioner for Integrity, Compliance and Ethics, was also dismissed following allegations concerning his handling of investigations into Pre-Registration Number (PRN) fraud.
According to the information contained in his dismissal letter, Abola was assigned in 2024 to investigate PRN fraud allegations implicating Godfrey Omony and Marvin Kayima. However, he was accused of neglecting to properly investigate the matter for prosecution.
The allegations further indicate that in 2026, Abola changed the findings of an investigation report relating to PRN fraud despite reportedly not being part of the team assigned to conduct the re-investigation.
Following the disciplinary process, Abola was found guilty of unsatisfactory performance, aiding and abetting offences and gross negligence.
The dismissal of the two senior officials comes as URA continues to strengthen its efforts to fight corruption, eliminate tax fraud and promote accountability within its operations. The action sends a strong message that public officers entrusted with protecting government revenue are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
Through enforcement of its disciplinary guidelines and action against officers found responsible for misconduct, URA is seeking to strengthen public confidence, protect government revenue and ensure that taxpayers are treated fairly. The developments also highlight the importance of internal accountability in the fight against corruption and revenue leakages.
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