Two nabbed for issuing fake US Visas

Police in Kampala has busted two suspects for forging USA visas at a cost of UGX12 million.

The suspects, Oscar Bamwenda and Steven Nyeko alias Toby Steven, are currently in police custody at Kabalagala Police Post on charges related to forgery.

Police picked up the suspects after one man approached the Embassy to confirm if the visa his friend received was genuine. On 19th September 2022, one Daniel Smith Mubiru, went to the Embassy with a passport of his friend to confirm if the visa application process and issuance was legitimate.

Mubiru was however shocked to learn that the visa his friend applied for at UGX12 million was forged. He was consequently tasked by officials at the embassy to locate the origin of the forged visa, to which he led them to a hotel opposite Centenary Bank Kabalagala.

Two nabbed for issuing fake US Visas

Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson Patrick Onyango told Galaxy FM reporter Minah Nalule that detectives attached to the US Embassy bumped into the first suspect Bamwenda, with another forged passport as he waited to be paid UGX12 million.

Bamwenda later confessed to dealing with Nyeko who always forged the visas while he sold them. Onyango says the duo was arrested pending their appearance in court before the end of this week. He urged members of the public to follow proper procedures to acquire travel documents instead of illegal means.

According to the US embassy, official passport holders are not charged for official visas, but are required to pay the $160 non-refundable visa application fee and reciprocal issuance fees, if applicable, for all non-official visas.

This incident comes just days after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID) arrested four suspects for issuing 11 Visas using fraudulent documents to the Embassy.

Two Diplomatic Notes dated 21st June 2022 and 4th July 2022, were issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, using fraudulent or falsified police certificates.

The attached police certificates, signed on behalf of the Director for Interpol and International Relations, were a forgery.

Out of the 11, 10 were established to be civilians, while one police officer, used false information claiming to be attached to the CID Headquarters, whereas not.