The inquiry into the Shs6 billion ‘handshake’ continues with three powerful former Uganda Revenue Authority employees are today expected to appear before the Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises committee and explain their role in the payment given to 42 government officials.
Former Commissioner General Allen Kagina, iron lady, Jeniffer Musisi and former PS of the Energy Ministry Fred Kabagambe Kaliisa were listed as among the top eight beneficiaries, according to URA documents.
Ms. Allen Kagina, got Shs 242m while boss at the time but she has since been appointed the director of Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra).
Documents we have received show Kagina, as the former URA team leader from the inception of the case, and led the pursuit of the tax money.
She led a government crusade not to sign a proposed arbitration agreement submitted by Heritage that demanded that government waive its claim to sovereignty at arbitration.
KCCA executive director Jenifer Musisi, who previously served as head URA’s legal department, received Shs121m.
GENESIS
In 2011, Tullow Uganda Limited and Tullow Operations Pty Ltd filed an application before the Tax Appeals Tribunal challenging initial assessments of income tax of $472.7,748,128 (Shs 1.2tn) by URA in respect of a transfer of their interests in Exploration Areas EA1, EA2 and EA3 to China National Offshore Oil Company (Cnooc) and Total at cost of $2.9bn.
The said assessments were eventually revised by URA to $467.2m as being capital gains tax. Tullow Uganda Limited and Tullow Operations Pty Limited appealed to the tax tribunal.
In the 2014, the tribunal chaired by a one Asa Mugenyi ordered Tullow Uganda and Tullow Operations Pty Ltd to pay capital gains tax of $407m basing on the evidence provided before the tribunal as being the amount after the pre- investment relief.
The total amount of capital gain tax before the pre-investment relief was $542.7m. Tullow Uganda appealed the decision of the tribunal in the Commercial court which resulted into an out-of- court settlement which is now being contested.
