The court division of state house anti corruption unit on Tuesday charged the first secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for issuing fake diplomatic notes to the US embassy in Kampala.
The suspect identified as Innocent Opio was arrested for over stepping his authority and issued diplomatic notes to the embassy to issue visas to 11 people.
According to police, It is alleged that Opio issued two notes in June and July with falsified police certificates signed by an unknown persons on behalf of the Director for Interpol to the embassy to let the group travel to the United States.
“All the eleven applicants were fronted as police officers going for a training course in Washington D.C in the US. Out of which, ten were established to be civilians, while one police officer, used false information, claiming he was a detective attached to CID Headquarters, yet he was a police driver,” said police spokesperson Fred Enanga.
He said that the law enforcement body is now probing what appears to be a big racket because it involves many people some of them not employees in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It has been established that when Opio was arrested, police also re-instituted a similar case file, which was opened against him for issuance of fraudulent diplomatic notes in 2017.
Enanga further revealed that investigations also show that a number of travel agents, intermediaries in conspiracy with rogue officials, were submitting fraudulent applications for US visas at a cost.
“They compile profiles with forged work experience, bank documents, birth certificates, police certificates, marriage certificates among others, to help applicants acquire student visas, study visa’s and resident visas among others,” he said.
However, police has advised all intending applicants for US visas or any other visas to travel abroad, to learn that visa applicants are assessed on merit. Therefore, all applicants must ensure they meet the immigration rules.
