Nigerian trader, son fined and jailed for obtaining Ghanaian passport and Ghana Cards
The accused persons were exposed during the passport acquisition process, prosecutors said
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A 47-year-old Nigerian and her son who attempted to acquire a Ghanaian passport with their Ghana cards at the Accra Passport Application Centre, have been fined and jailed.
Obafemi Jephthah Shoga, a designer and the first accused person, apparently needed a passport to join his father in Canada. Shoga’s mother Latifat Raji, a Nigerian (the second accused person) was exposed when she appeared to testify during the passport acquisition, according to prosecutors.
Shoga was ordered by the Madina District Court to pay a fine of GH¢6,000 and in default serve five months and he was additionally to serve a month imprisonment.
Shoga’s mother, Latifat Raji, was sentenced to a fine of GH¢2,400 or in default serve a month of imprisonment and additionally, sentenced to one month to prison.
Shoga was charged with attempting to obtain a Ghanaian passport by false declaration, making false representation in connection with an obligation imposed on him and obtaining for himself a Ghanaian National Identity Card by false declaration.
Shoga’s mother Raji was charged for obtaining a Ghanaian National Identity Card by false declaration and remaining in Ghana without permit.
They both pleaded guilty before the court.
The case of the prosecution led by Chief Superintendent of Immigration Adolf Aboagye- Asenso is that Shoga is a 26-year-old Nigerian and a fashion designer and Raji is the mother of Shoga.
Prosecution said the accused persons, were arrested at the Accra Passport Application Centre, while Shoga was undergoing the process of acquiring a Ghanaian passport.
It said officials were suspicious of double nationality and they were therefore referred to the National Enforcement Section at the Ghana Immigration Service headquarters for further investigations.
Prosecution said on the birth certificate of Shoga, he claimed to be a Ghanaian born to a Ghanaian mother, Latifat Raji.
It said further investigations revealed that Shoga is Nigerian born at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra to one Olujimi Shoga, a Nigerian, but resident in Canada and Raji also a Nigerian.
Prosecution held that information on the Ghana Birth Certificate was fake.
It said Shoga indicated that he wanted the Ghanaian passport because he qualified as a Ghanaian by virtue of being born in Ghana.
