Africa-Press – Uganda. A senior officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been charged with abuse of office in connection with issuance of a diplomatic note to 11 non-government officials.
It is alleged that the group was fronted as police officers going for a training course in Washington DC in the US.
Mr Innocent Opio, 41, a first secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was yesterday arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court at Kololo, Kampala.
He denied the accusations before Grade One Magistrate Abert Asiimwe who granted him a cash bail of Shs2 million upon presenting five sureties.
Mr Opio, a resident of Bukasa – Kirinya, Kira Municipality in Wakiso District, was arrested amid ongoing investigations by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) working with the US Embassy in Kampala.
The inquiry looking into how 11 Visa applicants allegedly submitted fraudulent documents for US Visas to the Embassy.
Prosecution led by Ms Harriet Angom alleges that in July Mr Opio, in abuse of the authority of his office, irregularly issued out two diplomatic notes, recommending non-government officials to the American Embassy for the acquisition of American Visas.
It is alleged that the act put the image of the government in disrepute as well as compromised the security of both national and international communities.
Court documents indicate that two diplomatic notes dated June 21 and July 4, were issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, using fraudulent or falsified police certificates purportedly signed by an unknown person on behalf of the Director for Interpol and International Relations and were established to be a forgery.
The diplomatic note issued on June 21 was signed by Mr Emmanuel Wandera, a foreign service officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, Mr Wandera said he signed the document after correcting an error on the original document which was allegedly signed by his superior.
A police statement shows that the second diplomatic note was signed by Mr Opio but he did not give clear reasons for issuing the diplomatic note.
Out of the 11 applicants, 10 were established to be civilians, while one police officer used false information, claiming he was a detective attached to Criminal Investigations Directorate headquarters, yet he was a police driver.
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