Posted by Written by Sheila Akomaih & Saffiatou Bah on
Emmanuel Eze, a Nigerian national who was in February this year found in possession of forged residential permits was Thursday convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour, without an option of a fine for forgery.
Emmanuel Eze, a Nigerian national who was in February this year found in possession of forged residential permits was Thursday convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour, without an option of a fine for forgery.
According to the particulars of the offense, Emmanuel Eze on the 14th February this year, allegedly forged three Gambian residential permits numbering: 68 291,685 34 and 84564 all of them, bearing false immigration stamps and seals.
Emmanuel who had during an earlier sitting pleaded not guilty," Thursday changed his plea and admitted having committed the forgery. According to him, he had committed this act with one Gabriel O. Arinze, who was responsible for making the false stamps All three of the forged permits, however, bore the photographs of Emmanuel but under three different names. When asked about the whereabout of Gabriel Arinze, the prosecuting Immigration officer said he had escaped police custody. A bench warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest.
In his judgement, Magistrate Kebba Sanyang, said he could not exercise mercy on the accused as he was in the business of depriving the Gambian government of revenue. He further ordered that the accused be deported back to Nigeria, after serving his sentence. I hope this will serve as a deterrent to others", he concluded.