The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has said there was falsified information during the clearance of the V8 Land cruiser for Bobi Wine and has ordered him to pay Shs.336m.
“It was established that the declaration made on 12th February did bear falsehoods of clearing it as a normal vehicle yet it was armored,” Mr. Abel Kagumire, the commissioner for Customs wrote to Anthony Wameli, Bobi Wine’s lawyer on Thursday April 22.
“Following re-examination of your client’s Motor Vehicle, it was confirmed that the unit was armored,” Kagumire said.
The details of ballistic protection on Bobi Wine’s vehicle were confirmed as 90mm for the window upper plate glass and 6mm for the bottom hull.
“Customs has revalued the Motor vehicle and appraised customs value with a tax of Shs. 337,698,776 . Please advise your client to liaise with the office of the Assistant Commissioner enforcement to facilitate payment”, Kagumire said.
Under declaration of items at customs contravenes section 203 of the East African Community customs management Act, 2004.
Recently, URA recalled Bobi Wine’s vehicle for re-examination after it emerged it was cleared as normal vehicle yet it was armored. In February Bobi Wine posted pictures of his vehicle thanking supporters for purchasing it for him.
The persecution continues!
On Thursday night, Bobi Wine responded by calling URA’s persecution.
Read his full statement
“In yet another shameful move, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has written to us today requiring me to pay 337,698,776.25/= (Over three hundred million Uganda shillings) for the vehicle which came into the country legally and was cleared by all relevant agencies. The vehicle was taken to the Directorate of Interpol in Kololo and they cleared it. It was then taken to the forensics department of police in Naguru, and they too cleared it. Then we took it to URA and they did their own independent verification and levied the relevant tax which we paid.
The reason we did all this very easily was because my name hadn’t come into the picture. For several months, they did not raise any issue. Indeed, if the car belonged to any other citizen, there wouldn’t be any issue.
It was only when we transferred the car into my name that they began looking for fault and did not find any. At first they claimed that armoured vehicles require clearance by the Ministry of Defence. But there was no law to back their outrageous claim. That is how they said it was undervalued. We understand they quickly moved and sacked, demoted or persecuted all URA, Interpol and Police staff who did their job and cleared this vehicle. For no reason whatsoever, they punished them for not knowing that the car would end up in Bobi Wine’s name! Others were summoned by CMI for interrogation!
So countrymen and women, this is where we are. All public institutions are personalised by Gen. Museveni who does with them whatsoever he pleases. As I have consistently said, when you take on Museveni, you have taken on all government institutions and they will gang up against you. The God who defends the weak against the strong is on our side. In the end, we shall look back to these trials and tribulations and make a pledge never to repeat the same mistakes.
We shall overcome! The forces of evil may do all these things, but they never win in the end. Examples are all over.”
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