By Andrew Irumba
Kampala: Lt.Col. Edith Nakalema has confirmed that the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, which she heads, raided Bank of Uganda this morning, to investigate the rot there.
Following the raid, five officials were arrested for printing their own money to the tune of Shs90Bn and they are currently being interrogated. The operation involved Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), Internal Security Organisation (ISO) and members of the regular police force. It is reported that the officials have been printing money off the official approved figures and the unit impounded Shs60bn as evidence. The money entered Uganda through Entebbe airport well printed and was transported using Bank of Uganda currency vans to the Central Bank and on reaching Kampala then some money disappeared on streets of Kampala for circulation.
Shortly after the raid, Nakalema issued a statement saying thus: “The State House Anti-Corruption Unit acting under Article 99(4) of the Constitution of Uganda in liaison with the Criminal Investigations Directorate of the Police acting under Article 120(3) (a) and in conjunction with the Bank of Uganda is carrying out a special investigation on a matter pertaining to the Bank’s procurement and supply chain activities. This investigation is being carried out following an invitation by the Governor of the Bank of Uganda and in close cooperation with the Governor’s office. The matter under investigation involves a recent procurement consignment. A number of senior bank personnel, Customs and Civil Aviation personnel are being questioned. Bank of Uganda operations remain intact and uninterrupted. Further updates will be provided in due course.”
SpyUganda has learnt that BoU team a few months ago travelled to Germany aboard a chartered airplane to bring back the printed cash from Germany, where the Ugandan shilling is printed. The team was led by Dr. Barenzi, the deputy director in charge of operations who represented Charles Malinga Akol, BoU’s Executive Director Operations. Dr. Barenzi and another officer allegedly printed money to a tune of Shs90bn in excesses and used some of it to buy goods which were as well loaded into the chartered plane. At Entebbe, two officials stashed the Shs90bn into their own vehicles and drove to BoU. The directors are now detained at CMI headquarters in Mbuya and reports indicate that a lot of money was recovered at one of the directors’ homes.
