Buried money no longer serves its purpose, says BOU

Jun 03, 2017

“It has come to our notice that Uganda shillings notes were thrown into a grave during a recent burial ceremony. The money which was so mishandled, is likely to be defaced, soiled or damaged..."

Few hours after a Ugandan filed a petition seeking to exhume socialite Ivan Ssemwanga's body, Bank of Uganda has come out to say that the money is already damaged and can no longer serve the purpose for which it was intended.

"It has come to our notice that Uganda shillings notes were thrown into a grave during a recent burial ceremony. The money which was so mishandled, is likely to be defaced, soiled or damaged; and thereby no longer serve the purpose for which it was intended," read their response which was posted on their Facebook page.

Early today, a concerned Ugandan has asked court to direct BOU and A Plus funeral Management Company to exhume the body of the late city socialite Ivan Sswemwanga and the money in the grave removed.


he ate van semwangaThe Late Ivan Ssemwanga

 
Abey Mgugu wanted court to also grant him the right to remove the money that was thrown in the grave by Ssewanga's Rich Gang crew, on behalf of Ugandans.

Ssemwanga who died on May 25 at Steve Biko hospital, Pretoria in South Africa, was laid to rest at his ancestral home in Nakililo village in Kayunga town council on May 30, this year amidst pomp. A Plus was contracted to manage the funeral services of the socialite.

Mgugu who claimed to have attended the burial ceremony, said that he witnessed notes of sh10,000, 20,000 and sh50,000 including South African Rand and United State dollars, were thrown inside the grave by the socialite's Rich Gang crew as a sendoff.

"I also saw other people placing/putting South African rand and US dollars in the grave of the late Ssemwanga before the deceased's burial and I saw the same being buried along with the dead body," he said.

He said that the purposes of the said currency were misused and there was wastage of public property during burial of Ssemwanga which allegedly violates social and economic rights.

He stated that BOU which is mandated with a duty of issuing national currency in sufficient quantities, failed to do so when it let the deceased to be buried wi­­­th the money, noting that this act distabilises the economy.

"That act created a fall in the supply of money in circulation in the economy hence creating deflation," he said.

In its response BOU has said that there is a proposed amendment to the BOU Act to include a clause that will criminalize any practices such as defacing, soiling, mutilation or other forms of disrespect to the national currency.

"Accordingly, the public is urged strongly to refrain from any act, conduct or use of the shilling notes and coins for purposes other than those for which the national currency is intended or in the manner that results in the defacing, soiling or damaging of the currency," it said.

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