Kampala, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | Ugandan authorities are currently holding Stephen Tarus, former Assistant Minister for Internal Security in Kenya, on charges of gold smuggling into Uganda using counterfeit documents.
Arrested last week, Tarus appeared before a Ugandan anti-corruption court on Wednesday, accused of falsifying export documents, resulting in substantial financial losses for Uganda, according to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
The charges specifically relate to the forgery of export documents for 13 kilograms of gold worth $30,000 (£24,000), suspected to be part of an illicit smuggling operation to Dubai.
Tarus is currently remanded at Luzira prison until January 18, pending further investigations.
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Despite his influential political background, having served as an assistant minister and Kenya’s high commissioner to Australia, as well as being a Member of Parliament, Tarus has not made any statements regarding the allegations.
The case has garnered attention due to the high-profile nature of Tarus’ political history and the seriousness of the charges related to the alleged gold smuggling operation.
