Illegal registration: Suhum police arrest NIA official

The Suhum night patrol team has arrested a 37-year-old National Identification officer for registering some individuals in their respective homes past the working hours of the National Identification Authority.

The suspect, Richard Kudjo Pinto, who is a teacher and the supervising registration officer at Kuano Church of Pentecost registration centre in the Coaltar District was arrested with documents of the National Identification Authority on March 19, 2020, around 8:30 pm.

Among the documents were 27 pieces of National Identity Card Application forms with one bearing the name and particulars of Otubea Rebecca, 12 pieces of Oath of Identity Forms, with 4 pieces bearing the names of Opoku Mabel, Martey Ebenezer, Lomotey Christiana Tetteh and Korkor Comfort and an Instructions Manual for registration and card issuance.

The suspect upon interrogation claimed that the above-named persons were at the registration centre earlier in the day to register but could not be registered due to the closing time as such sought to register them in their respective homes for other procedures to follow the next day.

The suspect has since been detained for questioning. Exhibits retained at the station as efforts are being made to trace persons mentioned to assist in investigation.