The State house health monitoring Unit has arrested three suspects for selling forged Covid-19′ Vaccination certificates and stamps.
speaking to journalists on Tuesday at the Uganda Media Center, Fiona Abaasa, the Unit’s public relations officer, said the arrest followed a tip off received on September,17 2021 about a Labor Exporting Company (AL- Saud) involved in criminality of selling forged Covid-19 vaccination client cards to Ugandans.
She said the Information received was that each Covid 19 vaccination client Card was being sold at UGX 150000 deposited on a mobile money number.
“The suspects provided a Mobile Money number on which it is deposited and upon confirmation, an appointment date is given on where to pick the Card,” she said.
Abaasa identified the suspects as Shamira Rashid, Wangoli Abdallah, both staff at Al-Saud Recruitment agency and Kakande Mahmoud.
She says the unit set a trap by providing UGX 300,000 to one of their investigators to purchase two Covid 19 vaccination Cards.
“Our investigator met a one Shamira Rashid, a Receptionist at Al-Saud, paid the UGX 300,000 via the provided mobile money number and the Receptionist, in turn produced two (2) forged Covid 19 vaccination cards bearing stamps of Ministry of Health Butabika Hospital and Selmek Medical Services with back dated stamps.” She said.
She added, “The Receptionist was immediately arrested. In her statement, she revealed that the vaccination Cards were provided by a one Wanagoli Abdallah who also works at Al-Saud.”
Upon arrest, Wanagoli Abdallah cooperated and led the unit to the source of printing these cards which is located at Maria’s Galleria on the fourth floor.
A search was conducted on the premises in the office a one Kakande Mahmoud who was arrested and the following suspected forged documents, seals and stamps were found.
Abaasa says the unit found forty-six (46) Printed Certificates of Good Conduct from the Directorate of Interpol and International Relations of the Uganda Police Force bearing the name of the Acting Director and Senior Commissioner of Police Birungi R Charles, Four (4) NIRA Birth Certificates and Four (4), NIRA Death Certificates.
“we also found twenty-six (26) Photocopies of Passports with original passport photos, a list Containing names of clients and their parents’ names and places of birth and origin, One (1) Stamp of the Directorate of Interpol and International Relations, One (1) Seal Stamp of the directorate of Interpol and International Relations, One(l) Seal Stamp bearing no name Several rubber parts of forged stamps of different companies, Law Firms, NIRA, Commisioners of Oaths, Kibuli Mosque, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and URSB,” she said.
The unit, also found Photocopies of transcript and degree certificate of a one Iga Ronald purportedly from Kyambogo University, three (3) Certificates of Registration for Tax Identification Number from URA
Further investigations reveal that AI- Saud Labor Export Company, located on Salama Road in Muswangali Zone, which was involved in the suspicious activities has been operating illegally as its license was suspended this year.
Abaasa said “Investigations are ongoing and we call upon the general public to desist from such acts of criminality and to report if approached by these crooks.”