Ghana Passport Fraud: Court Jails Nigerian Over Fake Documents
A Nigerian national who faked his identity to secure a Ghanaian passport has been sentenced to one year in prison with hard labour by a court in Tema.
Mohammed Ogbona, who also goes by the name Mohammed Alhassan, was convicted after pleading guilty to multiple charges — including illegal entry, identity fraud, and false declaration. The Tema District Court, presided over by Madam Benedicta Antwi, handed down a combination of jail time and fines aimed at discouraging similar offenses.
Ogbona was fined GH₵2,400 each for attempting to obtain both a Ghanaian passport and a national ID using fake documents. In default, he will serve six months in prison. He also received a 12-month prison sentence for illegally acquiring a Ghanaian birth certificate through false claims. That came with an additional fine of GH₵4,800 or three more months behind bars.
Another GH₵600 fine — or one extra month in prison — was added for related offenses. All sentences will run concurrently.
The case was prosecuted by Inspector Jerry Foster Segbefia with support from ASI Gillian Biney. According to them, Ogbona, aged 32 and employed at Cimaf Cement, was arrested on June 16, 2025, at the Tema Passport Application Centre. Officers became suspicious during his passport application process.
He had claimed to be Ghanaian, born at Tema General Hospital to parents named Alhassan Varga and Rose Tetteh. But when pressed for details, Ogbona could not produce any evidence or help locate the supposed relatives. Investigators later confirmed he was born in Enugu State, Nigeria, to Nigerian parents — John and Rosemary Ogbona.
Inspector Segbefia told the court that Ogbona’s goal was to obtain a Ghanaian passport for travel to the UK. He had already secured a forged Ghanaian birth certificate and a Ghana Card, using the details to apply online for a passport.
Police also discovered that Ogbona entered Ghana illegally through an unapproved route near the Aflao border. He had no passport, visa, or valid travel documents at the time.
Authorities believe he worked with an unnamed agent who helped him manufacture a complete fake identity.
In court, the prosecution called for a custodial sentence to deter rising cases of identity fraud and illegal migration across Ghana’s borders. The judge agreed, stressing that such offences undermine national security and public trust in official documents.
Takeaway:
This case underscores a growing threat: identity fraud tied to cross-border migration. It also shows Ghana’s firm stance against those who seek to exploit its systems for personal gain. Citizenship is not a costume you wear when convenient — it’s a legal truth rooted in verified identity.
Let this serve as a clear warning: fraud won’t get you far, and the penalties are real.sequences. Ghana’s systems are tightening, and anyone who attempts to manipulate national records will face the law.
Citizenship must reflect truth—not deception. If you’re caught faking your way through the system, expect the penalties to match the crime.
