Ghanaian national remanded over passport forgery

COURT | CRIME

KAMPALA - A 21-year-old Ghanaian national has been charged and remanded to Kitalya Prisons for allegedly forging and calling self a Ugandan national of Itesot tribe.

Emmanuel Paul Darko alias Paul Opio, a Ghanaian and a footballer with Bugamba Football Club is charged with three counts of unlawful stay in Uganda, giving false information and making false declaration to obtain a Ugandan passport.

The accused was on Monday arraigned before Buganda Road Court Grade One Magistrate, Joan Ketty Acca and read the charges, to which he denied.

Upon denying the charges, the prosecution led by Elizabeth Nandala informed the court the investigations in the matter were still ongoing.

"Your honor, inquiries are still ongoing, we therefore pray that the matter is adjourned and slated for mention," Nandala said, prompting the Magistrate to adjourn the case August 18, 2020.

The charges contravene section 66 (1) h of the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act, Cap 66, 76 (b) of the registration of Persons Act and 313 of the Penal Code Act.

The law

Under the law, any person who gives false information or makes a false statement when providing information for entry, making a modification to entry, making a confirmation of the content of an entry or obtaining the issue or re-issue of a national identification card or alien's identity card; commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to five years' imprisonment.

Meanwhile, unlawful stay in Uganda elicits a maximum penalty of three years' jail on conviction.

The charges

Prosecution asserts that on July 3, 2020 at Kampala in Kampala district, Darko was unlawfully present within Uganda, which is in contravention of the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act.

It is further contended that that during the year of 2019, in order to obtain a Ugandan national identity card, the accused falsely stated that he was in an Itesot by tribe and a Ugandan by nationality, whereas not.

That for the purpose of obtaining a Ugandan passport, the accused attached false information in the passport application forms purporting to be a Ugandan of an Itesot tribe, whereas not.