Two men have been arrested as police investigate a racket behind the issuance of fake coronavirus test certificates for passengers flying out of the country.
The suspects are detained at Kampala Central Police Station on offences of forgery and uttering false documents.
The key suspect was a former laboratory attendant in the Ministry of Health while the second is a courier and both the suspects work at a facility in Kawempe Division, Kampala.
Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said the key suspect has admitted to forging the certificates and working with others to enter them in the Ministry of Health system.
Forgery of Covid-19 test certificates for travellers had caused diplomatic issues between Uganda and countries in the Middle East after hundreds of travellers from here with certificates showing that they were tested and found negative for coronavirus turned out to be positive after they were retested.
Owoyesigyire said they were able to detect the crime after the key suspect took a swab from a traveler at Bugolobi Flats in Kampala City and later gave him a negative certificate from Maia Medical, but when the victim reached Entebbe airport, he discovered an error in his name.
Police suspect that the suspects connive with others to enter the names of unsuspecting clients’ list at the Ministry of Health.
Owoyesigyire said a search has been carried out at the prime suspect’s home where certificates with Ministry of Health logos were recovered.
