Reports indicated that the politician was accused of illegally ferrying 13 kilos of gold into Uganda using forged documents. 

When translated into currency according to calculateme.com, the 13 kilos of gold amounts to Ksh134 million.

Following his arrest on January 6, 2024, Tarus was arraigned before a Ugandan anti-corruption court on Wednesday.  

The prosecution was handed seven days to complete investigations into the allegations with Tarus detained at Luzira Prison.

According to press reports, Tarus is expected to answer to charges of gold smuggling, fraud and forgery of URA documents including a payment of Ksh4.7 million in Kampala for the gold to be ferried into the country.  

Ugandan authorities, in a joint operation with Ugandan Revenue Authority (URA) officials, recently launched a crackdown to tame the vice that has been rampant in the region.

Tarus served as an assistant minister under the late President Mwai Kibaki's regime as well as Kenya's high commissioner to Australia between 2009 and 2012.

The 57-year-old also served as a Member of Parliament for Emgwen Constituency between 2003 and 2007.

The latest data from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime shows that Uganda is an attractive market for illicit gold owing to its proximity to neighbouring countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya and South Sudan. 

This was occasioned by corruption at weak border points, airports and porous borders hence making it easier for perpetrators to smuggle goods into the country.

The high-risk areas for illicit gold flows include the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya and Arua in Uganda. By Brian Kimani, Kenyans.co.ke