The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has arrested Mr. Stephen Kipkiyeny Tarus, Kenya’s former Minister for gold smuggling thus causing revenue loss to the Uganda government.
Mr. Kipkiyeny who served under President Mwai Kibaki’s administration as the Assistant Minister of Internal Security is currently remanded at Luzira Prisons until 18th January, 2024 on charges of gold scamming, smuggling and forgery of URA documents, according to an update from Tax Crime Watch Africa, a platform that aggregates tax crimes’ news across the region.
Mr Kipkiyeny also served as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Australia between 2009 and 2012.
According to URA, smuggling is an offence under the East African Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA); the law that governs importation and exportation of goods.
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According to Section 202 of the Act, a person who imports or exports any goods which are concealed in any way commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine equal to fifty per cent of the value of the goods involved.
In 2021, URA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gold Refiners, Exporters, and Dealers Association of Uganda (GREDAU) to streamline relations.
In the MoU, it was agreed that the members will become tax compliant and pay existing tax arrears as far back as July 2021, share information on the export and import of gold, alert URA of any illegal gold dealers, cooperate with URA in the collection of taxes and advise on any entities that are suspected of engaging in smuggling, tax evasion, and other illicit activities in the gold industry.
