Caught In The Act: URA Top Manager Arrested Over $60,000 Bribe

By Swift Reporter

A senior Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) manager has been arrested after allegedly being caught receiving a $60,000 (about Shs220 million) bribe during a sting operation at a Kampala restaurant.

Geoffrey Ssozi, the URA Manager for External Operations in the Customs Department, was arrested last Thursday by the authority’s internal investigations team following a tip-off from a whistleblower.

According to URA, Ssozi allegedly solicited the money from a taxpayer in exchange for suppressing an ongoing tax audit into the company.

Speaking to journalists at the URA headquarters in Nakawa on Monday, Assistant Commissioner for Public and Corporate Affairs Robert Kalumba said Ssozi had initially demanded $100,000 before the alleged bribe was negotiated down to $60,000.

“There was an audit being conducted on the taxpayer. Ssozi’s team, with the assistance of a clearing agent, reached out to convince the taxpayer that they could kill the audit,” Kalumba said.

Kalumba said the clearing agent allegedly involved in facilitating the transaction was also arrested and is cooperating with investigators as inquiries continue into possible involvement of other individuals within the tax body.

He added that URA’s legal team was finalising the charges, while the money recovered during the operation would be presented in court as an exhibit.

The arrest comes as URA intensifies its internal efforts to combat corruption and protect government revenue.

URA Commissioner General John R. Musinguzi reiterated the authority’s commitment to tackling corruption within its ranks, saying there would be no tolerance for staff members involved in graft.

“The fight against corruption is intensifying within URA, and we continue to uphold a zero-tolerance policy,” Musinguzi said.

He urged members of the public to report suspected cases of corruption, saying public cooperation was crucial in preventing revenue leakages.

However, Ssozi has denied the allegations against him, maintaining that he was framed as part of a wider dispute involving alleged cargo consolidation fraud.

In his defence, Ssozi described the allegations as “half-truths” and claimed that powerful business interests were attempting to undermine his enforcement work.

He said the individual who handed him the package was a prominent cargo consolidator who works with major traders, while the clearing agent allegedly involved in coordinating the transaction was someone he had known since 2013.

“The gentleman who handed me the package, the so-called investor, is a big cargo consolidator. The agent coordinating with him has been known to me as the owner of Simbaland since 2013,” Ssozi said.

He further linked his arrest to his previous enforcement duties at Jinja Customs, where he said he had been tasked with tackling alleged fraud.

“When I was sent to Jinja in 2012, my briefing was clear: deal with the massive fraud at Jinja Customs,” Ssozi said, suggesting that his past enforcement activities may have contributed to the allegations against him.

The arrest highlights the challenges facing URA as it seeks to strengthen revenue collection while simultaneously addressing corruption and misconduct within its own ranks.

Investigations into the matter are ongoing, and the suspects are expected to face formal charges once the legal process is completed.