Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has arrested two men accused of extorting more than USD 24,000 from Congolese businessman in a fraudulent export trade involving non-existent Super Match cigarettes.
The suspects, Frank Mugisha and George Muhumuza, face charges of obtaining money by false pretence, falsifying customs documents, and declaring goods that did not exist.
In a press briefing on 5th December, 2025, URA’s intelligence said the two were arrested following a complaint from a Congolese businessman known as Masereka Musavuli who accused them of obtaining Ugx 36.88 million Ugx and USD 15,000 by false pretense, after they allegedly pretended to be selling Super Match cigarettes from a customs warehouse at Nakawa.
Authorities say Masereka was offered 15,000 cartons of “Super Match” cigarettes deal that the purported criminals claimed were warehoused at URA.
“Frank Mugisha told Masereka that the cigarettes had been intercepted by URA en route from Kenya and offered to export them for him. Muhumuza was presented as the owner of the seized consignment. The group took Masereka to the customs warehouse to view sacks and compared them with photos previously shared on WhatsApp. However, he was not allowed inside because entry would be granted only after completion of documentation,” URA said.
“Masereka was issued an expired Payment Reference Number (PRN 2250013706446) on 28 April 2025 for Ugx 36,880,000. Mugisha then issued a new assessment (search code 70173132507654) for the same amount. Masereka arranged funds via Mumbere and paid at DT Bank, Ham Shopping Centre, Kikubo on 6 May 2025,” they added.
According to URA, Mugisha instructed Masereka to buy packing materials where he would pack his cigarettes destined to Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC via Busunga.
“The statement further says that when packing was ready, Masereka hired the same truck and took it to URA Nakawa Headquarters to load but the loading never happened. The empty truck was weighed on the weighbridge as instructed but was then impounded at the main gate; customs held it for three weeks before release. Mugisha told Masereka to wait, but to date the cigarettes have never been delivered,” URA confirmed.
According to Masereka, Mugisha defrauded him another USD 15,000, which he claimed to be facilitation fees, which prompted him to report the matter to URA.
URA Investigations show there is no record of the cigarettes having been exported, and that Mugisha and Muhumuza do not own any Super Match cigarettes in the URA warehouse.
