52-year-old Charles Obong, a former public service officer, who died on December 17, 2016, after a long illness was buried with Shs200million ($5,700) with which he'll use to ''bribe God'' when he gets to his destination.
Obong who worked as a senior personnel officer in the ministry of Public Service for 10 years had reportedly left a Will, instructing his wife, Margaret Obong, to deposit huge sums in his coffin. The money was meant to be offered to God so his soul could be redeemed and saved from hell. He also told his siblings, Justin Ngole and Helen Aber, to be witnesses and ensure his wife follows through on his Will.
After Obong was buried in his hometown in Adag-ani Village, Aromo Sub-county in Lira District, Uganda, his kinsmen found out what had been done and made his wife confess during a family meeting. Obong's siblings Ngole and Aber, also confessed and following orders from the clan chief, Mike Gulu, Obong's corpse was exhumed last Saturday to retrieve the money after which he was reburied on the same day.
It was also gathered during the widow's confession that she had paid a funeral service company to dig open her husband's grave and more money was put in. She also had with her additional Shs180 million which she intended to deposit in the coffin on a later date. After the money buried with the corpse was retrieved, the Shs180million with Ms. Obong was demanded but she refused to hand it over and escaped in her car.
Mr Ngole, the deceased's brother said his elder brother told him he had left Shs6 billion.
"He did not tell me where the money was kept, but his wife had told me on phone prior to Saturday’s incident that she would bring again more Shs300 million to add in the coffin so that my brother could also enjoy. When she was placing the first batch of money, the woman called me to witness it but I could not inform my people. I was afraid they could harm her but I broke the silence after I consulted widely." Ngole said.
It is not clear what sin Obong wanted restitution for but it's been revealed that about Shs257 billion was stolen from the government in a pension scam by senior government officials and Obong was a senior government official prior to his demise.
Reacting to the incident, Rev Joel Agel Awio, an Anglican priest, made it clear that no amount of money can buy eternal life and the only way sins can be forgiven is to repent while still alive.
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