The car in which Kakuba (RIP) was driving along with smuggled goods from Tanzania.
A suspected smuggler has succumbed to injuries following a scuffle with the Uganda Revenue Authrotiy enforcement team based in Masaka.
The incident in which Frank Kakuba died happened at 4am this morning.
Details available shows that Kakuba, driving a Toyota Premio registration number UBA 671F was suspected to be smuggling cosmetics from Tanzania.
Against the above background, the enforcement team mounted an interception on the Rakai route, where they came face-to-face with Kakuba.
Kakuba, was reportedly flagged to stop but did not.
The team pursued him to Rakai, Lumbugu, and shot to deflate the car tyres to force him to stop, unfortunately injuring him in the process. He was rushed to hospital, where he later succumbed to injuries and died,” Assistant Commissioner Public and Corporate Affairs, Ibrahim Kibuuka Bbossa, says. “It is regrettable to lose a Ugandan in this manner.”
According to Bbossa, URA does not condone the shooting of civilians, even smugglers.
“Our officers must adhere to a strict code of conduct in such operations by using intelligence-guided and covert means to identify, track and apprehend suspects for prosecution. Any officer acting contrary to the URA values and behaviour will be held individually liable in accordance with the law,” Bbossa added, commiserating with the deceased’s family and that URA is “collaborating with the police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Frank Kakuba.”
“The officer involved has been arrested and a subject of investigation and prosecution,” Bbossa said.
Upon verification, it was discovered that the Toyota Premio was carrying 80 boxes of banned cancer-causing cosmetics declared harmful and illegal under the law.
The East African Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA) prescribes a penalty of 50% of the value of goods or imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or both for those caught violating the law.
“All those found culpable according to the Act will be liable to a fine not exceeding seven thousand dollars and have their goods forfeited,” Bbossa said, advising members of the public to desist from “such illegal and dangerous ventures!”
