URA starts probe into cars with same number plates
Police are waiting on URA to explain the anomaly in the number plate registration. PHOTO | COURTESY
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has sent a team to Kampala Metropolitan Police Area to investigate vehicles that were impounded for having the same number plates.
Nateete Police Station impounded a black Toyota Harrier and a white Subaru Forester that had the same licence plate number UBG 129Y.
The URA spokesperson, Mr Ian Rumanyika, yesterday said he had informed their enforcement team to follow up on the incident.
“We have sent a team at Nateete to follow up on the alleged communication,” Mr Rumanyika said.
The police discovered the anomaly after their traffic officers stopped Mr James Echeku, the driver of the Harrier, for non-payment of Express Penalty Scheme (EPS) tickets.
Mr Echeku denied having been issued any EPS ticket, which prompted an investigation in which the Subaru was impounded.
The driver of the Subaru fled after the police officers stopped him.
Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said their investigations have found Mr Echeku innocent, and his car has been handed back to him.
“Since the impounding of the Subaru, no one has come to claim it. We want the owner on offences of forgery and traffic,” Mr Owoyesigyire said.
The police are also investigating whether the number plate on the car is genuine or not.
Detectives said if they find the plate to be genuine, their interest will be finding out where it was got from and how it was issued.
The URA is the only authority that issues out vehicle number plates.
This is not the first time cars of different types are seen on the streets with the same number plates.
In 2015, several cars were impounded by the police for using the same number plates.
In most cases, the police found out that some motorists had been issued number plates to dodge taxes.
