By KT Reporter
The State Minister of Finance, Henry Ariganyira Musasizi, has spoken out on the money heist at the Bank of Uganda (BOU) in which over 60 billion shillings was siphoned from the institution’s accounts in September this year and channelled to foreign accounts.
Musasizi was provoked to respond to the ongoing investigations at BoU by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, who expressed concern over the government’s silence on a matter that has attracted local and international media.
Ssenyonyi said an issue concerning the Central Bank should not be taken lightly because it affects the public. He added that it was paramount for the government to come out and inform the citizens of what was happening at BoU.
In response, Musasizi said the matter was being investigated by CID and the Auditor General and promised to update the Parliament in a month’s period.
Musasizi also refuted claims that over 60 billion was siphoned insisting it was less than what is being reported in the media.
BoU probe of 60 billion shillings was first reported as an external hacker but it later turned out to have been an insider job. URN understands that President Yoweri Museveni first assigned CID to probe the matter.
Sources have said that after establishing that there was internal handwork of BOU and the Ministry of Finance, the President asked Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS) formerly Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) to take the lead in collaboration with CID, and ESO.
It is reported that so far 17 people including nine BOU staff, six finance staff and two from the accountant general have been probed and five are allegedly being detained by CMI and CID at formerly SIU offices in Kireka.
Electronic gadgets of staff under probes such as laptops and smartphones have been confiscated by the probe team and all those that have been probed have reportedly been put under tight security surveillance.
The money ended up in countries such as Japan and the United Kingdom. It is reported that BOU, CID and NITA-U ICT experts traced the money and the affected institution contracted their counterparts to who blocked withdraws of at least $11m-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
