According to a recent report posted by The Observer, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) intends taking over the tax evasion case against 13 directors of MTN Uganda. This latest development is also pending the outcome of a court ruling on whether the Director of Public Prosecutions should take over.
The publication, which is also reported to have been threatened with legal action by the telecommunications company, quotes Sarah Banage, spokesperson for the URA, as saying the body is seeking to take over the case as the complainant.
The case made headlines following action by the legal team representing MTN Uganda’s former logistics officer Naphtali Were against his former employers.
In one of the counts against the company, Were alleges that MTN Uganda “made false or incorrect declarations of imported goods worth Shs 5bn” ($1,9 37985.0000)
The publication names a number of company represented implicated in the case, including MTN Uganda chairman, Charles Mbire; the chief executive officer, Mazen Mroue; and board members Khumo Sehoole and Mozipho January Dardil.
The list includes the corporation secretary, Anthony Mutyaba Katamba; the chief finance officer, Mike Blackburn; his predecessor, Nigel Williams; a former procurement manager, Mervin Immelman; and his replacement, Francis Terffoute.
The legal battle seems to have escalated recently following Were’s legal team seeking the issue of warrants of arrest against Mbire, Mroue, Katamba and Terffoute for alleged failure to appear before court.
According to the report rulings on which party should take over the case and whether or not arrest warrants should be issued has been deferred to November 6.
