Two arrested in Malaba over fake Covid, yellow fever certificates

Detectives are holding two suspects in relation to the alleged processing and issuance of fake Covid-19 and Yellow Fever vaccination certificates.

The suspects were arrested on Wednesday in Malaba town after their illegal operations were leaked to the police.

Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations from Teso North are holding the suspects at the Malaba police station pending the completion of investigations. 

The officers said they will remain in custody until Wednesday next week when they will be arraigned at the Busia Law Courts.

“We are investigating the matter and we requested the court to give us seven days to conclude investigations. Wednesday next week, the suspects will return to court,” a DCI officer who sought anonymity told the Star on phone. 

“I will not want to go on record over this case because my senior who is authorised to comment is away on official leave,” he said.

Busia County Health Director Dr Melisa Lutomia declined to comment on the issue when contacted saying it is still a matter under investigation.

“Let us allow investigations to end first,” she told the Star on Saturday on the phone.

“On the same note, this is a national government issue which is not under my mandate.” 

The mandate of processing and issuing Covid-19 and Yellow Fever certificates to travellers at the border rests with the Port Health Services. 

Travellers who have applied for the certificates are, however, free to download and print the documents at cybercafés.

Following the arrest, investigators want to find out if there are other people, besides the two, who are involved in the syndicate.

They also want to know the extent the business has penetrated border operations, a development that may have denied the government crucial information regarding travellers that went through the Malaba border.

The DCI officers also want to establish why the two were not prosecuted despite them having been previously arrested on forgery accounts.

The suspects were reportedly previously arrested over the same accusations at the Malaba One Stop Border Post.

At the time of their arrest, the two suspects were found with Covid-19 certificates. 

Detectives told the media that details of the confiscated certificates will be made public after investigations are completed.

Teso North subcounty police commander David Muange called on members of the public to allow DCI officers to complete investigations.

Muange confirmed that the two suspects are being held at Malaba police station.

On August 27, 2020, two suspects were arrested in Busia town after they were accused of issuing fake Covid-19 clearance certificates in Busia county. 

The duo were nabbed by DCI sleuths following concerns from the public.

DCI officers said then that several fake certificates had been confiscated from the suspects.

Additional items that include a computer and a scanner believed to have been used in running the fake Covid-19 testing centre were also recovered.

Malaba is a busy border transit town where approximately 20,000 people cross to and from Uganda every day.