New findings indicate that the Uganda Revenue Authority Commissioner General has submitted a request for additional funds of Shs117 billion before picking Shs6 billion during the course of the year from the tax body’s budget to selected government officials as a reward for winning two major oil cases.
This revelation was made by the Auditor General Mr John Muwanga while appearing before ta Parliamentary Committee, which is investigating the controversial payments.
Mr Muwanga said that his office received a letter from Finance Minister Matia Kasaija requesting for a supplementary budget, adding that “he attached a letter from the Commissioner General, URA requesting a supplementary of Shs117 billion,” Mr Muwanga told the committee which is chaired by Bugweri County Mr Abdu Katuntu.
A visibly shocked Katuntu asked Mr Muwanga to repeat what he had said to ensure that he had heard well.
“May I understand that because we need to follow it. The request was?” Katuntu asked.
Mr Muwanga then reiterated that Ms Akol had asked for Shs117 billion.
What alarmed the committee members more was the fact that of the Shs117 billion, Ms Akol’s letter had indicated that Shs6billion had already been spent on the beneficiaries of the presidential handshake.
This also means that the AG was boxed into a tight corner to is an audit warrant.
“By the time we issued the audit warrant in November 2016, all the necessary authorisations had been taken care of,” said Mr Muwanga.
He added that whether the release was done or not, “it’s of no consequence.”
However, Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Ssegona faltered the AG for issuing the audit warrant irregularly, “Is issuing the audit warrant normal when the money has been spent normal in your practice?” asked Mr Ssegona.
Mr Muwanga however explained that he is not responsible for the money that was spent, shifting blame to Finance minister Kasaija.
“When you look at the letter that is there, it clearly states that the accounting officer had spent the money as authorized by the minister of Finance.” said Mr Muwanga.
TheUgandan however understands that the remaining amount of the Shs117 billion was for other URA activities.
What we know so far
Tax assessor excluded: Mr Bernard Sanya, who was a Commissioner with URA when Uganda initiated proceedings against Heritage Oil and Gas Company, assessed the tax that was the springboard for the case Uganda won was not listed among the beneficiaries of the Shs6b reward for winning the case. A total of 42 officials shared Shs6b for the success, excluding Mr Sanya.
URA staff member was given shs29 m for photocopying documents: An official of the URA who was in charge of photocopying documents during the oil tax cases was over 29 million shillings. The official told the parliamentary committee investigating the controversial six billion shilling payout that he worked late into the night, way beyond the normal working hours and therefore deserved the reward.
Tea girls pocket Shs50m each: Tea girls and typists from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs pocketed Shs50 million each for serving tea to state attorneys who were involved in defending Uganda’s tax claims.
I didn’t deserve payment, Ruhindi tells MPs: Former Attorney General (AG) Fred Ruhindi, who pocketed Shs72m net [Shs100m gross], admitted that he did not do anything outside his scope of duty as AG to merit the reward.
Bonus discussed as a by the way: Solicitor General Francis Atoke, who pocketed Shs200m and led the team, told MPs the deal to pay the Shs6b was discussed as a “by the way”.
Akol disowned by bosses: The chairman of the URA Board Simon Kagugube yesterday revealed that the board was not consulted when the Commissioner General Doris Akol paid out Shs6b from the tax body’s budget. But Ms Akol shot back at her Board chairman, insisting that there was no need to seek authority from the Board on grounds that “it [the Board] did not have a role to play”.
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