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Uganda’s finance ministry has asked the Ugandan embassy in China to refund money sent “erroneously” to their account, after it emerged they sent almost 10 times more than planned.

The Ugandan cabinet had approved $61,800 (£47,700) to be sent to China for students in Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.

But the education ministry requested $600,000 – a much higher amount. A ministry official is quoted by the Daily Monitor newspaper as saying the money had been approved.

However, the Ministry of Finance stated in a recent letter that the amount approved by cabinet was the lower amount of $61,800, and said it had asked the embassy to refund $538,200.

Photos of the finance ministry’s letter have been shared online: