Asian Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison and Deportation for Using Forged Passport

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

Email: ashen@Newsofbahrain.com

A 38-year-old Asian man has been sentenced to three years in prison and deportation after being found guilty of possessing and using a forged passport.

Ironically, he claimed during the initial trial that he was unaware that using a forged passport was a crime and intended to use it only in emergencies.

The ruling was upheld by the Court of Cassation, Bahrain's highest court, after the defendant failed to file his appeal within the legal timeframe.

The man was initially convicted by the High Criminal Court, which sentenced him to three years imprisonment, deportation after serving his sentence, and confiscation of the forged passport.

The Court of Cassation, while acknowledging the defendant's appeal, ultimately rejected it on grounds that the appeal was filed late and that the defendant was no longer eligible for a review of his sentence.

The defendant was accused of colluding with a government official to enter false information into the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA) system.

He presented a forged passport to a customs official at Bahrain International Airport, claiming it belonged to him. The passport official, however, became suspicious of the man's behaviour and noticed discrepancies in the passport's information and photograph.

During the trial, a translator from the Chinese embassy confirmed that the defendant admitted to attempting to leave Bahrain using a forged passport, despite knowing it was fake. He claimed he was unaware that using a forged passport was a crime and intended to use it only in emergencies.