Remanded: Timothy Segane
Serial Smuggler, Timothy Segane has been remanded.
Segane was arrested on August 25, 2026, after attempting to bribe a customs officer.
He re-appeared in Court on Friday. However, the case took a new turn, with the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court extending his remand until September 16, 2026.
While appearing before His Worship Paul Mujuni, Principal Magistrate Grade I of the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, the court heard that Segane and his accomplices face a total of four serious charges. These include making false declarations to customs, tax evasion, corruption, and conspiring to break customs laws.
According to court documents, Segane is accused of bribing customs officials to help him evade taxes. Investigators say he also paid officers to allow his containers to dodge scanners and to reduce the value of his goods, thereby lowering the taxes he owed.
Magistrate Mujuni denied Segane bail once again and ordered that he remain at Murchison Bay Prison in Luzira until the next hearing. The new date is set for September 16, when the case will come up for further mention.
The charges against Segane are brought under the East African Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA) and the Anti-Corruption Act. The prosecution says his actions caused the government to lose hundreds of millions of shillings in unpaid taxes.
Uganda Revenue Authority’s Assistant Commissioner Public and Corporate Affairs, Robert Kalumba, who earlier confirmed Segane’s arrest, welcomed the court’s decision. He said the new details about bribery and scanner-dodging show the magnitude of the accused’s scheme.
“This is exactly the kind of corruption we are fighting,” Kalumba said. “Segane did not work alone, and the investigation into his accomplices continues.”
The court also noted that Segane is not the only accused person in this case. The charge sheet lists “Uganda vs Timothy Segane and others”.
URA Commissioner General John Rujoki Musinguzi continues to lead an aggressive anti-corruption and anti-tax evasion campaign targeting smugglers, fraudulent clearing agents, and complicit internal staff.
The Commissioner General has also intensified scrutiny on URA staff, leading to high-profile arrests of officers involved in soliciting bribes and abetting revenue leakages,
Instead of harsh enforcement over systems like the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing System (EFRIS), the URA under Musinguzi shifted toward extensive taxpayer sensitization and opening direct support offices in bustling trade hubs like Kikuubo.
“We shall not give up enforcement on tax evaders and smugglers who undermine our economy, and the efforts of genuine taxpayers. We urge all businesses and individuals to join hands with us to enforcement compliance by reporting any suspicious trade practices,” said Musinguzi.
More suspects in the Segane case may be brought to court soon.
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