Reknowm singer Joseph Mayanja aka Jose Chameleon has been summoned by Anti Corruption Court Division in Kampala over allegations that he was in possession of an imported and undeclared car.
Court summons issued on Tuesday July 7 and signed by Chief Magistrate, Pamella Lakunu Ocaya, legendary singer-cum politician is directed to appear before Court on July 30 2020 to explain charges related to flouting tax systems.
The singer is wanted over being in possession of an uncustomed goods, (a South Sundanese car, a Toyota Land Cruiser V8 model GRJ 200).
“Whereas your attendance is necessary to answer to the charges of being in possession of uncustomed goods, you are hereby commanded by the Uganda government to appear in the Anti-Corruption Court at Kololo on the 30th July 2020 at 9:00am,” read in part the summons.
Chameleon was caught up in a row with the URA over claims that he had failed to pay an estimated UGX100M in taxes for a high-end car, registration number SSD 499B Land Cruiser V8 model GRJ 200, a claim Chameleone dispelled at the time.
The tax body officials demanded documentation of the car, which appeared the singer didn’t have hence resulting into heated exchange of words.
Mr. Simon Peter Lwanga, a Customs officer at URA says the singer failed to avail the URA team with the documentation regarding the legal status of the vehicle in Uganda.
“Import Duty has not been paid on the said vehicle in Uganda and it is valued at Ugx 137,350,725 (Ugandan shillings one hundred thirty seven millions, five hundred and seventy twenty-five only), Mr. Mayanja Joseph knew or ought reasonably to have known the vehicle was uncustomed,” Lwanga noted.
According to the charge sheet now before court, it’s alleged that on April 12 this year, the singer was found in possession of the vehicle by the Uganda Revenue Authority Enforcement Team, which intercepted the said vehicle.
The singer who was intercepted at Wakaliga-Bulange Mengo in Kampala.
The singer faces the charge of failure to produce documentation when required contrary to Section 204 (b) of the East African Community Customs Management Act, 2004.
The tax body also alleges that on the same day when Chameleone was intercepted by its team, he had not paid import duty on the said vehicle in Uganda.