Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and hopeful Lord Mayor Joseph Mayanja alias Chameleone have agreed to settle the 77 million shillings tax evasion case outside court.

The decision was announced on Thursday by the State Attorney Hilda Bakanansa.

Mayanja was expected to take a plea to charges related to tax evasion.

However, Bakanansa told the court presided over by the Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate Pamela Lamunu Ocaya that on July 21, Mayanja requested URA that the case be settled out of court. Mayanja also said that he will clear the debt in installments.

Court was told that URA signed a memorandum of understanding with Mayanja that he will pay the money in four months and that he will be required to deposit 20 million Shillings every month.

Bakanansa also told the court that should Mayanja breache the agreement, it will be cancelled and enforcement measures instituted against him.

Ocaya extended the summons to October 2 to allow execution of payments.

Mayanja’s lawyer Henry Lubowa said, his client did not appear in court because he was attending a meeting with URA officials.

The prosecution alleges that Mayanja was found in possession of a South Sudanese vehicle registration number SSD 499B Toyota Land Cruiser V8 Model along Wakaliga-Bulange Mengo on April 12, 2020, without documents regarding its legal status in Uganda.

It is also alleged that Mayanja never paid the import duty tax of 77 million shillings for the vehicle valued at Shillings 137 million.