A man who was arrested by the Uganda Revenue Authority -URA field services team for allegedly Smuggling 200 high end ink pens, worth 300 million shillings has threatened to reveal names of senior military officials who have been aiding his criminality.
The man identified as Davis Bakashabaruhanga was found wearing full military attire while driving a truck registration number UAE 050F accompanied by a minivan registration number UAZ 637N, along Mukono- Kayunga road.
Both vehicles were found full with merchandise.
When stopped, Bakashabaruhanga confidently showed a Uganda People’s Defense Forces -UPDF identity card which was later ascertained to be fake.
Julius Nkwasire, the Assistant Commissioner in charge of field services says the URA team immediately contacted their counterparts in the UPDF to "report a soldier caught with smuggled goods.
The army refuted Bakashabaruhanga’s credentials, prompting his arrest.
Upon interrogation, the suspect helped them arrest one Emmanuel Kwesiga who is believed to part of the syndicated crime.
However, while speaking to the media, Bakashabaruhanga alleged that he was taking orders from a string of senior army officers whom he did not mention.
“I got military attire from some government officials. It is a chain from top to bottom. And for us we are working under orders which I cannot mention now. It has been hard for me and at times we are threatened” he said.
The UPDF spokesperson, Brig. Flavia Byekwaso condemned acts of abusing the military uniform, saying this is a different offence by Bakashabaruhanga.
In her statement, she called on the public to be vigilant and report all such masqueraders who set out to tarnish the name of the UPDF.
