The investigation into the mind-boggling heist which occured in Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has continued to bite the hard way.
At the center of these investigations is a one Francis Wodero who is accused of allegedly masterminding MANIPULATION and or deletion of factual figures in the URA ledgers and adjusted them in order to favor a certain juicy company in terms of VAT returns.
The company identified as Services and Computer Industries (U) Limited had it’s VAT returns for August 2014 and April 2015 alleged altered in a shameful act which is said to have caused mega losses to the national coffers worth billions. URA has zeroed on Francis Wodero accusing him of having committed this case which is now subject to investigation at URA and police.
Wodero is said to have Manipulated the tax body’s books sometime in 2021 when he was posted to work in the lucrative Larger Taxpayers Office of URA. This office handles tax giants like telecoms, industries among others and that each tax payer here is said to be paying taxes worth billions. In the case of the company under query, inspectors said it’s VAT returns were in the region of Shs10bn but this amounted kept thinning until it became mere millions of shillings, the reason investigations have now kicked off.
Wodero according to URA acting Human Resource Manager Jimmy Okuja, was thus lined up for intense grilling by URA Staff Compliance Office on April 23 following summons to him dated April 19 2024.
This grilling session was also attended by a Commissioner of police whose presence in the meeting was said to aid professional interrogation of the ‘suspect’.
Inspectors said in that session, Wodero was treated as a suspect and was thus given a bond that extended for two weeks up to May 8.
We’re told the man from Bugisu whose alleged actions have left top managers at the tax body scratching their heads on the level of sophiscatedness used to execute the mission, reappeared on May 8 hoping to resume his work.
However, inspectors revealed that he was instead given more borrowed freedom of up to May 20 when he can know his fate in respect of this matter.
“He was told to return on May 20. He’s not supposed to access office and the premises for now until the matter is decided. Our main concern is centered on whose password was used in those various alterations made to the ledgers. We’re moving in a positive direction in this regard” explained an inspector.
“Francis Wodero, this is to request you to appear before the Assistant Commissioner Staff Compliance for a compliance interview regarding a case of alleged MANIPULATION of the ledger balance for Service and Computer Industries U Limited…” says an internal memo summoning Wodero from Acting Human Resource Manager Jimmy Okuja.
It is not clear what awaits Wodero but inspectors said when he returns, he is expected to reveal whether he acted alone or it was a chain.
“You can’t rule out anything because the way URA is structured, many desks participate in a matter of that magnitude. It can’t be decided by one individual. The question is, did someone sleep on his or her job or there was connivance?” Explained an inspector adding that URA top boss has declared a corruption-free regime in URA after renewal of his contract as the Commissioner General.
Meanwhile, watch out for what transpired in a shrine when one of the URA bosses allegedly visited a witch doctor purportedly to kill the investigation.
