In July this year, the Ministry of Health, their their spokesperson, Emmanuel Ainebyona revealed that over 40 Ugandan women, who were scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia, were removed off the plane over fake COVID-19 certificates.
Such cases have been coming out on a daily basis especially with travellers departing or coming to Uganda.
The State House Health Monitoring Unit has today revealed to press at Uganda Media Centre that it has arrested three individuals from Al Saud Labour Exporting Company on charges of forged COVID-19 certificates,documents and stamps.
According to Abasa Phiona, the Public Relations Officer of the Unit, on 17th September 2021 they received information of a labour exporting company called Al Said located on salama road in Muswangali zone being involved in criminality of selling forged Covid 19 vaccination client cards to Ugandans.
Phiona says that the information received was that each Covid 19 vaccination client card was being sold at 150,000 ug shs and this money was being deposited on mobile money number and upon confirmation an appointment date was given on where to pick the card.
The three arrested suspects include; Shamira Rashid who was a receptionist at Al Saud Company,Wanagoli Abdallah who also works at Al Saud and Kakande Mahmoud.
Upon arresting, these suspects were found with 46 printed certificates of good conduct from directorate of Interpol, four NIRA birth certificates,4 NIRA death certificates,26 photocopies of passports with original passport photos among other things.
“They mostly manipulate, Ugandans who want to go abroad, we are trying to see that people with forged documents don’t use our Airport.
It’s our humble appeal to all Ugandans, get documents in right procedures.” Abasa Phiona said.
She adds that investigations are ongoing thus calling upon the general public to desist from such acts of criminality and to report if approached by these crooks.
“We have arrested three people, and investigations are still going on, more charges might be pressed against these people.”