Bank Willing to Replace Elderly Couple's R6 400 Destroyed by Termites
- All is not lost for the elderly couple who recently shared their grief of losing KSh 48,000 which had been saved under the bed to termites
- This is because the Bank of Uganda has expressed its willingness to exchange the damaged notes with new currency
- In a tweet, the bank's currency director indicated that the couple should take the money to the nearest branch for help
PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed!
On Friday, July 30, Briefly News shared the heartbreaking story of Tito Okema and his wife Bicentina Alal, who had lost R6 400 they had saved to termites.
Source: UGC
The couple had denied themselves a lot for three years to save the money made from the sale of papyrus mats, poultry, dried cassava chips, and domestic animals.
Eighty-year-old Tito and his 75-year-old wife Bicentina had been saving the notes in small denominations in a metallic case under their bed.
The elderly couple, who live with their six grandchildren in Kali-Kali village of Layima sub-county, Uganda, sent out a cry requesting help with exchanging the damaged notes.
Public calls for help
When their story was aired in media, the public took to different online channels to prevail upon the Bank of Uganda (BOU) to come to their aid by replacing the money.
Benjamin Patrick:
"Let her take it to BOU, they will replace it. Such is called mutilated or dirty money and BOU can replace it."
Robert M. Lubanda:
"That’s not a loss, it is still legal tender. They need to either take it to a Bank of Uganda branch in the region or any bank there."
Mugume Amooti Kalyegira:
"She can take to the Bank of Uganda for replacement notes free of charge. The central bank's job is to control currency circulation and when the bills are old or damaged they replace them."
Bank of Uganda's response
The Daily Monitor reports that BOU responded indicating that they have been trying to reach the couple with advice to approach their Gulu Branch for the replacement of the banknotes.
"We’re aware they have no phone number and we’re waiting on a good samaritan to link them, upon which they will be helped,” tweeted BOU's director of currency Ms Christine Alupo.
PAY ATTENTION: Never miss breaking news – join Briefly News' Telegram channel
Termites eat elderly couple's R6k they saved in metallic case for 3 years
Eighty-year-old Tito Okema and his 75-year-old wife Bicentina Alal had been saving the notes in a metallic case and were met with shock when they opened the box to check on the money.
Alal revealed that when they checked on their saving box a month ago, all the money was intact, but they noticed that the metallic case was covered in mud.
Upon opening it, they were shocked to discover that all the notes had been ravaged by termites.
Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news!
Source: Briefly News
