European Man Appeals Three-Year Sentence for Forged Passport Attempt in Bahrain

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com   

A 75-year-old European man, previously sentenced to three years in prison and deportation for attempting to enter Bahrain using a forged passport, has appealed his conviction. The Appeals Court has begun hearing his appeal, potentially leading to a review of the original sentence. The appeal hearing has been scheduled for September 9th.

The defendant, who had denied the charges during the initial trial, was found guilty by the High Criminal Court of using a forged electronic document, specifically a passport, to enter the country.

The incident occurred on March 22, 2024, when the defendant, with the help of a well-meaning employee, entered false information into a government system belonging to the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs.

This was done with the intention of using the fabricated data to gain entry into Bahrain. The defendant then presented a forged passport, purportedly issued by a European country, at Bahrain International Airport.

Investigations revealed that the defendant had entered the country under false pretenses. He presented the forged passport to the passport officer at the airport, who accepted it without realizing its fraudulent nature.

A witness confirmed that they were responsible for receiving travelers' passports and verifying their details against the passport photo. A report from the General Directorate of Crime Investigation and Forensic Evidence confirmed that the passport used in the case was forged.

The original data page and photo had been replaced with a completely fabricated page, which was then attached to the passport.

Further investigation involved a request to the European embassy to verify the authenticity of the passport.

The embassy confirmed that the passport was indeed forged. Additionally, the passport was flagged in several local and international databases, including Schengen Interpol, as having been reported lost by its rightful owner.

A communication from Interpol in the European country confirmed that the passport used in the case was not authentic and that the defendant was wanted by the international police organisation for various fraud charges.

The Appeals Court will now review the evidence presented during the initial trial and consider the arguments put forth by the defendant's legal team. The outcome of the appeal could result in a reduction or even dismissal of the original sentence, or it could uphold the original verdict.