Four jailed for forging certificates

Accra, Jan. 14, GNA- An Accra Circuit Court on Friday sentenced a 57-year old unemployed to five years imprisonment with hard labour on charges of conspiracy and forgery of Senior Secondary School Examination Certificate, General Certificate Examination Ordinary and Advanced Level certificates.

William Gyamya had been put before a different Circuit Court for committing the same offence on two occasions.

Three of Gyamya accomplices: Bawa Abdulai 26, Osuman Alhassan, 30, both students of University of Development Studies (UDS) at Navorongo and Nyankpala respectively and Abubakari Gibrim a 50-year-old contractor were sentenced to two years imprisonment each with hard labour. They all pleaded guilty.

Abudulai was also fined six million cedis on charges of possessing and altering of 1994 an 1997 GCE 'O' and 'A' level certificates. Alhassan, who was charged with possessing forged 2001 SSSCE result slip was fined two million cedis or in default go to jail for a year. The court further imposed a total fine of eight million cedis on Gibrim and he would go to prison for four years if he failed to pay the fine for forging 1994 and 1997 GCE O and A Level certificates. The facts presented by Deputy Superintendent of Police Mr Kofi Abraham said the complainant is the head of Certificates Department, West African Examination Council (WAEC), Accra.

Prosecution said in October last year, WAEC received information that some students of UDS had used fake result slips and had gained admission into the university.

The prosecutor said WAEC set up their investigations and discovered that Abdulai had used 1994 and 1997 'O' and 'A' level certificates to gain admission while Alhassan had also used 2001 SSSCE result slip to pursue degree programme at the university.

On December 12, last year, Abdulai and Alhassan were arrested at their respect campuses and escorted to the Criminal Investigation Department in Accra.

During interrogation, Abudulai said he bought his two certificates from Gibrim.

Prosecution said Gibrim said it was Gyamya, who prepared the documents. Gyamya led the police to Osu to trace his source but they could not find him.

Alhassan also stated that he obtained his certificates from a teacher at Nima but they police could not locate him.