Former Tororo mayor jailed
Mr Emolot (C) with one of his co-accused Mr Muyanja (L) and his lawyer at Nakawa Court. PHOTO BY JULIET KIGONGO
Former Tororo Town Council Mayor Paul Sande Emolot, who was arrested in possession of alleged smuggled cigarettes, has been remanded to Luzira Prison after he was committed to the High Court for trial.
Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court presided over by Mr Charles Sserubuga remanded Mr Emolot together with his co-accused Mr Swaibu Buyinza, a truck driver, and Mr Joshua Muyanja, a turnboy.
They were charged with smuggling and being in possession of 581 cartons of Supermatch cigarettes from which URA would have collected Shs204 million.
“You are hereby committed to High Court for trial. Your bail has lapsed, you will be remanded but you can apply for bail before the High Court,” said Mr Sserubuga on Monday.
The committal was prompted by State submission that inquiries into the matter were complete for competent court to hear the case.
Arrested in Arua in August, Mr Buyinza and Mr Muyanja were charged with being in charge of a vehicle used for conveying untaxed goods contrary to the East African Community Customs Management Authority.
Mr Emolot was arrested in Lamwo District in northern Uganda after a truck registration Number UAN 293S, which he owns was intercepted with the cartons of smuggled cigarettes.
Officials said the cigarettes were concealed with empty crates of beer.
According to URA records, between June 24 and August 11, 2011, Mr Emolot fraudulently used a Sudan Registered company LUPAIN Group (Inc) to purchase 2,935 cartons of cigarettes from Leaf Tobacco Company (LTC) worth Shs787 million.
Records indicate that last year Mr Emolot allegedly purchased cigarettes from LTC for export to Sudan via Kenya but the 1,100 cartons did not exit the country.
