Monrovia – A 42-year-old Nigerian national identified as Chukwuma Jude Obi have been jailed by the Monrovia City Court for falsifying Liberian Passport.
Report by Augustine T. Tweh, [email protected]
Obi was incarcerated at the Monrovia Central Prison on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 pending trial to the alleged crime of falsification of Liberian citizenship which contravenes section 21.10 of the New Alien and Nationality Law of Liberia.
Section 21.10 of the New Alien and Nationality Law of Liberia states: “Whoever knowingly procures or attempts to procure contrary to law, the naturalization of himself or another, or documentary or other evidence of naturalization or citizenship for himself or another person shall be subject to a fine of not more than five thousand United States Dollars (USD$5,000) or imprisonment not more than three years or both”.
Defendant Obi was arrested on May 28, 2018 by the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) with dual passports (Liberian and Nigerian passports) while on his way to the Federal Republic of Nigeria via the Arik Air.
According to Liberia Immigration Service charge sheet, Obi was found with a valid Liberian biometric passport bearing the name James Kollie with passport number PP0016694, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 18, 2018. He, at the same time, had in possession a Nigerian passport numbered A06403951 issued in Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria.
“Our investigation unearthed that defendant Chukwuma Jude Obi fraudulently obtained a Liberian passport with intent to pose as a Liberian citizen without going through a legal and due process of naturalization. And to achieve his criminal intent posed as James Kollie to deceive border security officers,” the LIS charge sheet noted.
It adds: “having been informed of his Miranda rights, the defendant refused to give a voluntary statement in the absence of his lawyer who he failed to name”.
The Nigerian national refused to give a statement to the Immigration service regarding his alleged crime. He told FrontPageAfrica that he could not comment on the matter in the absence of his lawyer.
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