Three Arrested for selling Fake COVID19 Vaccination Certificates

Police in Hoima district have arrested three staff of Butema health center III for theft, forgery and utterance of falsified COVID-19 vaccination cards.

The suspects have been identified as Enyong Emmanuel a health assistant, Aheebwa Rhodha the in-charge Butema health center III and Bigirwa Ivan a 34-year-old cleaner.Preliminary facts indicate that police were tipped off about a suspect who was vending the Ministry of Health vaccination cards at 50.000 shillings each to unvaccinated people.

According to Fred Enanga the police spokesperson, a trap was set-up and the culprit Bigirwa Ivan the cleaner was arrested.Upon interrogation, he admitted to selling genuine vaccination cards to unvaccinated people within Hoima district and also revealed the names of his bosses who had supplied him with the vaccination cards.

He would then proceed to sell them and insert names, phones, and vaccination dates for the unvaccinated buyers.The police spokesperson further warned the public that the vaccination card is a valuable document amidst the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19. A number of governments offices have started adopting vaccination cards as a requirement to get into their premises.

The strict rules for the unvaccinated, could have given opportunity for fake and falsified COVID-19 vaccination cards.He warns that the task team is expanding investigations into the matter.

The police spokesperson warned that whereas perpetrators could have run into hiding, the security task team will definitely find and round them up.

He warns the public against using fake Covid vaccination cards noting that it is a crime.“Therefore, all those found with fake or falsified COVID-19 vaccination cards should know that they are in serious breach of the COVID-19 protocols and must be prepared to face serious punishments for conspiracy, forgery, utterance of false documents and for negligent acts likely to cause the spread of an infectious disease.”