Bank of Baroda gives dead man loan, sells his plot for "defaulting" on it
The Managing Director of Bank of Baroda Ashwini Kumara found a difficult time explaining to the commission of inquiry into land matters how the bank advanced a loan to a dead person.
The commission heard that the bank had given the late Joseph Maria Sseruwo Shs 51 million in September 1994, a month after he had died.
Yet what shocked the commission is that the bank went ahead to sell the plot of the deceased for "defaulting on the Shs 51 million loan that he did not take.
The matter was brought to the commission's attention by Sseruwo's widow.
In the commission, Kumara was showed the death certificate of Sseruwo indicating he died on 28th August 1994.
Yet the letter demanding for the loan was written in September.
The land in question is located on block 129 plot 76 covering 22 acres at Nalusugga Kasangati Town council in Wakiso district.
The commission also asked Kumara to present documents for the bank account to which the loan money was advanced.
"Where are the documents of the money given to Sseruwo and who received the money because Sseruwo was dead? "asked the deputy lead counsel for the commission, John Bosco Suuza.
Kumara said he could not retrieve the documents because the loan was given 24 years ago.
Fearing that this could affect the credibility of the bank Kumara begged the commission not to disclose this information to the media.
His pleas were not entertained.
