A teacher from Namutumba District has accused Opportunity Bank, Iganga Branch of granting her an unsolicited loan of Shs6.6m and has appealed to the Bank of Uganda (BoU) to intervene.
Ms Fatuma Nabirye Kadondo, a teacher at Nawaikona Primary School, said she was shocked to discover that the bank had credited her account with a loan she neither applied for nor signed.
Kadondo explained that in 2021, she legitimately applied for a loan of Shs11.1m from Opportunity Bank Iganga Branch, payable within 60 months (2021-2026). However, on May 30, 2023, the bank’s loan officer, Mr John Kalisito, called her, saying she was entitled to a ‘hospital cash reward’ of Shs600,000 as a loyal customer benefit.
‘I was told to rush to the bank and withdraw the Shs600,000, which I was made to believe was a customer reward. I withdrew it immediately without knowing it was a top-up loan of Shs6.6m,’ Ms Kadondo narrated.
She later learned that the withdrawal had been processed as part of a new loan in her name, insisting that she never signed for.
‘I want the Bank of Uganda to intervene and explain why Opportunity Bank gave me a top-up loan I didn’t ask for or sign. I’m being cheated; this loan is consuming most of my salary,’ she said emotionally.
Ms Kadondo added that after realising the mistake, she refunded the Shs600,000 along with Shs200,000 interest within two weeks, after consulting the payroll manager at the bank’s head office in Kamwokya, Kampala. She was assured the loan would be cancelled, but deductions have reportedly continued since 2023.
‘The loan officer forged my signature and imposed the loan on me. I only withdrew Shs600,000. I don’t know who took the rest of the money,’ she said, adding that she is struggling to survive as the deductions have left her account almost empty.
When contacted, an operations officer at Opportunity Bank Iganga Branch who declined to identify himself, said Ms Kadondo’s matter is already before the court of law and that Bank of Uganda had been notified about the case.
‘The issue is in court, and BoU has been notified,’ the officer said.
Namutumba District Communications Officer Kiire Noah urged Opportunity Bank to ensure justice is served.
‘As a district, we sympathise with our employees. The bank should work with her to resolve this matter. It’s also illegal to deduct more than 50 percent of a civil servant’s salary for loan repayment,’ Mr Noah said.
He added that while the district only recommends civil servants for loans, matters relating to repayments and additional charges are strictly between the bank and the client.
Unsolicited loan
An unsolicited loan is a loan offer you did not apply for, often sent through mail, email, or unexpected calls, and is frequently associated with scams.
Unsolicited offers can also be “pre-approved” offers sent to many consumers without prior inquiry, and are a key way to identify potential loan scams, as they often lack the credit verification of legitimate lenders