Togolese jailed for acquiring Ghanaian passport

A Togolese, Norbert Komlavi Egloh, was on Thursday sentenced to 12 months imprisonment by an Accra circuit court for acquiring a Ghanaian passport.

Egloh, who was held over false declaration for the purpose of acquiring a Ghanaian passport, pleaded guilty.

The court, presided over by Ms Ellen V. Amoah, convicted Egloh, unemployed, on his own plea noting that Egloh had shown remorse for his actions.

It, however, ordered for the arrest of one Christopher Adjei, a Station Supervisor, for abetment of crime.

Detective Chief Inspector Samuel Sarkwah told the court that Egloh resides at Teshie in Accra, whiles Adjei works with Warren Oil Company Station at Kwabenya. Prosecution said in April this year, Egloh presented an application for a Ghanaian passport.

He said in order to deceive authorities at the passport office and circumvent the passport acquisition requirements, Egloh presented a Ghanaian birth certificate issued at the Mamprobi office of the Births and Deaths Registry on March 2014.

The birth certificates indicated that Egloh was born on June 6, 1978 and on the application, he further indicated that his parents were from Vikpe in the Volta Region.

The prosecutor said the application form was also witnessed by one Charles Nii Mensah and Victor Kpoedu, all of Teshie.

When the two witnesses were called to confirm their identity, they both denied knowing Egloh.

Egloh also told the police that his parents were dead hence he could not trace their actual hometown.

Police investigations revealed that Egloh had never been a student of Vikpe Junior Secondary School as he had earlier on indicated on his passport form.

It was further revealed that Egloh lived and schooled in Togo throughout his life.

Prosecution said in his quest to acquire the Ghanaian passport, he sought the assistant of Adjei in order to facilitate the process and he (Adjei) prepared all the documents for Egloh.