In a significant development, David Kalemera, who has been appointed as the Senior Presidential Advisor and Head of the State House Revenue Intelligence and Strategic Operations Unit, was convicted on charges related to tax fraud and corruption by Anti- Corruption Court judge Lawrence Gidudu in 2022.

The court found Kalemera guilty of using falsified customs documents and conspiracy to commit a felony, shedding light on a major corruption scandal within Uganda’s tax administration system.

He was subsequently dismissed from URA.

Kalemera, alongside Ssemanda Ian Paul and Kazibwe Ronald, faced multiple charges, including knowingly using falsified commercial invoices and packing lists to clear goods through the Uganda Revenue Authority’s (URA) Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA).

The false documents were purportedly issued by Guangzhou Sen Mao Development Limited, a shipping company that does not issue commercial invoices as it is not a supplier of goods.

The prosecution presented compelling evidence demonstrating that the trio used fraudulent invoices and packing lists to declare fewer goods than were actually contained in the shipments.

This deceitful practice aimed to reduce the taxable amount, thereby defrauding the government of significant revenue.

Witnesses, including employees from Choice International Forwarding Company Limited, testified that Kalemera had arranged the transportation and documentation of several containers from Mombasa to Uganda.

The scheme unraveled when the URA seized eight containers, discovering the discrepancies in the declared contents versus the actual goods.

At the close of the prosecution’s case, the court ruled that Ssemanda had no case to answer for the charges related to using falsified documents, but all three accused were found guilty of conspiracy to commit a felony.

Kalemera and Kazibwe were specifically convicted of using falsified customs documents.

Judge Lawrence Gidudu concluded that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt all the essential elements of the offences charged.

As a result, Kalemera, Ssemanda, and Kazibwe now face serious legal repercussions for their involvement in this tax fraud scheme.

This conviction raises questions about Kalemera’s appointment to head an anti-corruption unit within the State House, an initiative launched by President Yoweri Museveni to combat corruption and improve tax collection efficiency within the URA.

The juxtaposition of Kalemera’s role and his criminal actions underscores the challenges facing Uganda’s efforts to address corruption within its tax administration system.