By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
A 41-year-old Nigerian woman, Franca Wilson, a welder by profession, has been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour after she was caught attempting to obtain a Ghanaian passport using forged documents.
Her arrest followed a routine vetting exercise at the Accra Passport Application Centre (PAC) on April 24, 2026, where immigration officers detected inconsistencies in her nationality claims.
She was subsequently transferred to the National Enforcement Department of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) Headquarters for further investigations.
Investigations revealed that Madam Wilson is a Nigerian citizen, born in Rivers State to Nigerian parents. Despite this, she presented a falsified birth certificate claiming she was born in Somanya in Ghana’s Eastern Region to a Ghanaian mother, a claim she could not substantiate when pressed for details.
Authorities further established that Madam Wilson had procured a fraudulent birth certificate (Entry No. 310) and a Ghana Card bearing ID number GHA-731395447-1 through an agent, who also allegedly completed her online passport application and booked her appointment. She admitted to the offences in her caution statement.
According to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Madam Wilson pleaded guilty before the Adabraka District Court in Accra on May 12, 2026, and was convicted on three counts.
Officials say the sentences are to run concurrently.
The GIS has used the conviction to issue a stern warning to all foreign nationals against patronising unauthorised agents who claim to facilitate the acquisition of Ghanaian identity or travel documents through illegal channels.
“Attempts to fraudulently acquire Ghanaian identity or travel documents constitute serious offences under the laws of Ghana and will attract severe sanctions,” the Service stated.
