The Executive Director, Uganda Media Centre and Government Spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo has accused the Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga of misleading the public on the ongoing investigations regarding the Bank of Uganda currency saga.
While addressing the weekly press briefing on Monday 17 June, Enanga said the Police’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID) is probing into the alleged irregularities sonounding transportation of Bank of Uganda currency from Germany to Entebbe International Airport.
On Monday, police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga said they raided homes of six senior bank officials and recovered documents which suggested the printing of unauthorised excess currency notes.
“The searches were done in the homes of the officials and a number of documents were recovered. With time, we shall get how much was involved, how much [money] has been recovered, what was genuine [currency], [and] what was unofficial, but genuine money,” Mr Enanga said.
Mr Enanga’s stand, however, provoked Mr Opondo who on Tuesday told journalist at the government Media Center, which he heads, that the government is investigating “extra goods” that were found on the plane.
Mr Opondo accused Mr Enanga of telling lies adding that they [government] have instructed the Inspector General of Police, Mr Martins Okoth Ochola to “deal with his people” and recall a statement that was issued by Mr Enanga, since it’s “misleading.”
“The government is only aware about investigation of extra consignment including solar machines, batteries, among others which was shipped into the country, but we are not aware about extra money which was printed. Police should correct that record, it is a mistake,” Mr Opondo said.
Mr Opondo sounded a warning that any government agency that “misinforms the public” will be brought to order.
“We ask @PoliceUg to clarify on their statement about @BOU_Official in accordance to existing investigations. We believe the Police made a mistake while addressing the media,” Mr Opondo later tweeted.
It remains unclear why police, which took over investigations into how 5 extra pallets found their way into a plane chartered by BoU to exclusively transport banknotes from France, released wrong information.
However, some reports understand that some people could be trying to cover up for some businessmen and entities which had cargo on the chartered plane.
The Country woke to reports on Friday morning last week of the raid of Bank of Uganda by the State House Anti-corruption Unit claiming that BOU officials had illegally printed excess money from Germany to a tune of Shs 90bn for their personal benefit.
This was however dispelled by Opondo who told the media that indeed the investigations were underway but aimed at investigating extra cargo that was loaded on BOU chartered plane.
“We ask police to make good their statement which implied that government had earlier on told a lie. We take strong exception to that statement,” Opondo said.
