The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has secured the conviction of a 41-year-old Nigerian woman who attempted to fraudulently obtain a Ghanaian passport using forged nationality documents.

The accused, Franca Wilson, a welder by profession, pleaded guilty before the Adabraka District Court in Accra on May 12, 2026.

She was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour on three counts, with the sentences to run concurrently.

According to a statement available to GhanaWeb on May 20, 2026, Wilson was arrested on April 24, 2026, at the Accra Passport Application Centre (PAC) after officers detected inconsistencies in her nationality claims during the vetting process.

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She was subsequently referred to the National Enforcement Department at GIS Headquarters for further investigations.

The statement added that investigations revealed Wilson is a Nigerian citizen born in Rivers State to Nigerian parents.

However, she allegedly presented a falsified birth certificate claiming she was born in Somanya in Ghana’s Eastern Region to a Ghanaian mother.

She also failed to provide credible information about the alleged Ghanaian parent.

Further inquiries established that she had obtained a fraudulent birth certificate (Entry No. 310) and a Ghana Card bearing ID number GHA-731395447-1 through an agent.

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The same agent allegedly completed her online passport application and booked her appointment, which ultimately led to her arrest. In her caution statement, Wilson admitted to the offences.

“Further investigations revealed that Franca Wilson had obtained a fraudulent birth certificate (Entry No. 310) and a Ghana Card bearing ID number GHA-731395447-1 through an agent. The same agent allegedly completed her online passport application and booked her appointment, which ultimately led to her arrest. In her caution statement, she admitted to the offences,” the statement said.

The GIS has cautioned the public, particularly foreign nationals, against engaging self-styled agents who claim they can secure Ghanaian identity or travel documents through illegal means.

The Service reiterated that attempts to fraudulently acquire Ghanaian identity or travel documents constitute serious offences under Ghanaian law and will attract severe sanctions.

VKB/MA