14 Egyptians to be deported in visa scandal

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minister of Internal Affairs, Gen Jeje Odong has directed police to deport 14 Egyptian Nationals accused of forging working visas.

The 14 suspects include; Moamen Mohammad Hamond, Taher Mahamed, Ahmed Mahmoud, Kotb Mohammed, Abdallah Ehsayed, Mahamed Waled, Moustafa Abdelhamed, Taha Mahamed Farahat, Gamal Anwar, Soleman Badway, Ahmed Mahdy, Ismail Ahamed, Moustafa Soleman Aboubakar, Karim Taher Mohammed, Abdellazizi Mahmoud Sharaf, Fetouch Abdelaziz and Mahmoud Sharaf.

The suspects were arrested by a team of detectives and operatives from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence. Upon their arrest, they were detained and their passports confiscated.

The police spokesperson Fred Enanga said at the weekend that the minister signed the deportation order and the file has been handed over to the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration.

“We gave the file to immigration and they will soon be deported,” Enanga said.

Preliminary police findings indicate that nine of the 14 suspects had forged Visa extension while the other 5 had expired Visas.

During interrogation, it was established that the some of the forged visas were procured through contacts within Immigration while others were acquired on the black market.

The case of forged Visas comes at a time when police is investigating officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration for allegedly defrauding tourists and foreign visitors through exorbitant and illegal visa charges.

The investigations which were ordered by the Minister of Internal Affairs Gen Jeje Odong followed increased complaints by foreigners that they were being charged more money than what was reflected on the visa.

According to information in the hands of the investigating officers, more than 200 foreigners have filed complaints to the Ministry after realizing that they paid twice to three times more than the initial cost of a visa.

For instance, while a tourist visa costs 190,000 shillings, they are made to pay 560,000 shillings.

While the Directorate of Citizen and Immigration acknowledges receiving complaints on illegal visa charges, they say the victims have been getting the visas through unofficial channels and the Visas are forged.

The Acting Director Marcelino Bwesigye recently said clients, need to be warned of existing scam sites which charge them exorbitant fees or defraud them.

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