The state on Wednesday tended as an exhibit, the alleged forged passport used by Eric Amoateng, a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkoranza North, to travel from the US to Ghana.
Mr Ibrahim Issaka Lang-Hani, an Assistant Controller of Immigration Service who tended the document, told an Accra Circuit Court that after collection of the passport from the accused person, he checked to see whether the numbers of pages were intact.
He also said he checked the bio-data page of the passport, where he found out that the original photo had been substituted for the accused person�s photo.
Mr Lang-Hani is the first prosecution witness for the state.
Mr Lang-Hani, who is also the Head of Documents Fraud Office at the Airport, said when accused person presented his passport to him, �l told him that the page had been forged and he (Amoateng) was shocked�.
He said after the analysis, he wrote an administrative report which was forwarded to the Director of Passport.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Aidan Dery prayed the court presided over by Ms Ellen Vivian Amoah for an adjournment to enable prosecution tender the written report.
Meanwhile, prosecution plans to call three witnesses
The former MP arrived in Ghana after serving a 10-year jail term in the United States over narcotic related charges.
The accused person pleaded not guilty and was admitted to bail of GH�200,000.00.
He is to report to the Police every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Amoateng is alleged to have travelled to Ghana with a female Ghanaian passport number 112347080 after serving his conviction abroad.
The case of the state was that in December 2005, the accused went to the United States. In the same month, he was arrested for possessing heroin, a narcotic drug.
Amoateng served his sentence and on July 30 he was released from prison.
DSP Dery said on August 7 the accused arrived at the Kotoka International Airport on board a Delta Airline at 1420 hours.
During his arrival formalities it was detected that he had in his possession a Ghanaian passport number H2347080, which was allegedly forged, with the bio data page substituted.
Investigations, according to DSP Dery, revealed that Amoateng�s passport belonged to one Barbara Inkum and the said passport was issued on February 2009 the time he (Amoateng) was in prison.
The case is adjourned to November 3.
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