Three arrested for selling fake Covid vaccination certificates

The Health Monitoring Unit (HMU) has confirmed arrest of three suspects for selling forged Covid-19 vaccination certificates.

The arrested belong to Al-Saud, a labour exporting company located on Salaama Road in Muswangali Zone.

According to Director of State House Health Monitoring Unit, Dr Warren Namara, the arrests followed a tip off on September 17, that the company was involved in selling of forged Covid-19 vaccination client cards to Ugandans at Shs150,000 per each.

The money according to investigations by HMU, was deposited on Mobile Money numbers provided by the suspects before an appointment would be made on where to pick the card.

Upon receiving information, HMU through one of its investigators set a trap, stormed the company offices with Shs300,000, pretending to be a potential buyer of two certificates.

The first suspect to fall for the trap was the company’s receptionist, a one Shamira Rashid who upon receiving Shs300,000 via Mobile Money from the investigator, in turn issued two forged Covid-19 vaccination certificates.

According to HMU’s investigator, the two forged certificates bore stamps of Ministry of Health Butabika Hospital and Selmek Medical Services with back dated stamps.

Upon arrest, the receptionist confessed that the vaccination cards were provided by a one Wanagoli Abdallah who also works at the company.

“Wanagoli Abdallah cooperated and led us to the source of printing these cards which is located at Maria’s Galeria on the fourth floor” Dr Namara noted in a statement.

The third suspect is Kakande Mahmoud who was arrested following a search in his office premises where the investigators found suspected forged documents seals and stamps.

The forged items among many included; 46 printed certificates of Good Conduct from the Directorate of Interpol and International Relations of the Uganda Police Force, four NIRA Birth Certificates, four NIRA Death Certificates, 26 Photocopies of Passports with original passport photos, a list Containing names of clients and their parents’ and several rubber parts of forged stamps of different companies, law firms, NIRA, Commissioners of Oaths, Kibuli Mosque, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and URSB.

Further investigations reveal that AI-Saud, has been operating illegally as its license was suspended this year.

“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,” Namara urged.