By Kamugisha Kabahweza Allan
The High Court in Kampala has convicted a former short-term employee of the Uganda Revenue Authority on charges of corruption and abuse of office.
Kanzira Roggers, 35 years who was attached to the URA rental office, voluntarily pleaded guilty to the charges and applied for a plea bargain before Justice Lawrence Gidudu on Monday.
Kanzira was arrested on 4th August 2023 after he solicited for UGX 10 million from a taxpayer, Isaac Byaruhanga.
URA prosecution team told court that the taxpayer, who had been issued with a rental tax assessment of UGX 1 billion, met with the Kanzira in order to destroy the tax assessment report.
“After several court sessions and presenting all the implicating evidence, Kanzira agreed that indeed he had solicited for the bribe and requested for a plea bargain,” said the URA legal team.
After signing the plea bargain agreement, His Lord Gidudu fined Kanzira UGX 8 million for both charges, which he paid and got released.
The High Court also ruled that Kanzira will not hold any public office for the next 10 years after conviction based on section 46 of the Anti-Corruption Act.
Section 46 of the Anti-Corruption Act states that “A person who is convicted of corruption and or abuse of office shall be disqualified from holding a public office for a period of ten years from his or her conviction.”
According to Uganda’s Judiciary, Plea bargaining is a negotiated agreement between the prosecution and an accused person who is represented by a lawyer. The accused person then comes before the Hon. Judge to plead guilty to the charges against him/her in exchange for a lesser sentence without going through a full trial.
