Rashidah Naakayi
Police at the customs department of the Uganda revenue authority (URA)has caged the ring leader of a suspected criminal gang for extorting money from businessmen importing goods while impersonating as a customs officer.
Caleb Kankiriho a 34year old Ugandan and resident of Naalya was intercepted on Saturday the 8th of February on charges of impersonation and will appear in court once his file is ready.
Kankiriho was trailed and intercepted at Jinja road following numerous complaints from importers to customs management who got tired of their trickery, however, his gang members are still at large.
According to the acting commissioner customs Julius Rubagumya, Kankiriho is part of an untouchable criminal gang that has been frauding businessmen while posing as customs agents.
The gang that is known to be protected by some security agents operate by stopping trucks loaded with imported goods, inspecting them before extorting money.
Rubagumya says these fraudsters ask for payment from the importers claiming they will not call customs enforcement agents to intercept their trucks for re-verification.
One of the victims identified as Fred Kasozi narrates that he was duped 2million shillings by the syndicate who approached him in 3 cars while he was offloading his merchandise at Nankulabye.
Kasozi says the gang stopped him and asked for more money under the pretext that the tax he paid to Uganda Revenue Authority (URA)for clearance was little.
However, Kankiriho has trashed all these allegations against him and maintains he is innocent.
Rubagumya has asked for joint responsibility from the public to ensure that such fraud doesn’t thrive in our society.
He informed the public that all URA customs agents operate in tagged uniforms.
