The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Aviation Police are holding 29-year-old Peter Ssempebwa on accusations of forging several documents including letters of good conduct from Interpol, COVID-19 vaccination cards and certificates.
Ssempebwa claims to be an Enforcement Assistant in the Directorate of Legal Affairs at Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA.
Luke Owoyesigire, the Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson, says that Ssempebwa was arrested on August 3 after a three month search. He says the suspect is charged with forgery contrary to sections 342, 345 (a) and 347 of the Penal Code Act.
Ssempebwa’s woes began after security officers at Entebbe International Airport stopped nine migrant workers from Cornell Recruitment Company from travelling to Saudi Arabia. They were intercepted because they presented forged Certificates of Good Conduct and police clearance certificates on April 16.
Police later arrested Jacob Oola, the Director of Cornell Recruitment Company, who on interrogation said the documents were issued by Ssempebwa.
Since April, the police have been searching for Ssempebwa and their efforts yielded results on August 3.
He was picked up from his workplace on Nasser Road, Kampala. Police recovered over 60 documents at his office and home, including fake land titles, student transcripts from Ndejje and Nkumba universities.
Owoyesigire says the migrant workers and the rest of the public who were affected will be taken as suspects and investigations.
Ssempebwa is currently detained at Aviation Police Station at Entebbe Airport. Sources at Aviation Police Station, says Ssempebwa has denied the allegations.
However, some of the people who were interrogated by police, mostly Labour export company workers say they would pay Ssempebwa sh3million to secure “express” Interpol Certificates of Good Conduct.
“Though you are supposed to pay sh 120,000 for the certificate of Good Conduct, most travellers say the process takes long so they end up paying people like Ssempebwa who claim that they have contacts within Interpol who can fast track the process,” one source said.
Another source noted, “Most of the people get impatient because they have already got the visa and bought the air ticket. So when they fail to get the Certificate of Good Conduct within two days, they pay brokers.” Owoyesigire says Ssempebwa will be produced in court once the state sanctions his file.
Security has been intercepting travellers both Ugandans and foreigners with fake COVID-19 test certificates and vaccination cards. Among them were 41 migrant workers from Premier Recruitment Company, who were removed from Qatar Airlines on June 2021 over fake vaccination cards.
Most of the travellers who presented fake negative PCR COVID-19 test results have been produced in Entebbe Chief Magistrate’s Court. They were released after paying fines ranging from Shillings 200,000 to 300,000.
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