A Kenyan national has been interviewed by Swedish police after an old Kenyan Passport he handed back to the Kenyan Embassy in Stockholm was found to have been used for travel several times by another person.
Speaking to KSB, the Kenyan said that he was “extremely shocked” when police summoned him last Friday to face questions about his old Passport. According to the Kenyan, he assumed Swedish citizenship about ten years ago and since it was illegal for Kenyan citizens to hold two passports, he had to hand over his old passport to the Kenyan Embassy in Stockholm for onward transmission to Kenya.
Once he handed over the passport, he received an official letter of acknowledgement from the Embassy (copy on file) after which he assumed that the case was closed.
About a week ago, the Kenyan was contacted by the Swedish police and when he met them on Friday, he discovered that his old Kenyan passport had been transferred to another person who had used it severally to travel to several destinations. It looks like the police arrested the person who has been using the passport after they discovered that the guy was travelling on a stolen identity.
What surprised the Kenyan is how a passport could have landed on the hands of another third party when he had officially handed it over to the Kenyan Embassy and received a letter of acknowledgement to that effect. As we write, it is still not yet known how the person who was arrested with the passport used it while the circumstances under which he was arrested also remain unknown. The passport has been circulating for at least ten years and what is also not known is the number of people who may have had access to it and used it. The Kenyan was summoned as part of investigations and will remain in touch with police.
The case brings up yet again the issue of sale of passports belonging to Kenyans through the Embassy while it also brings to question the number of such cases which go unnoticed. The worst part is that after such passports are sold by the Embassy, they could be used to commit serious international crimes like human smuggling, drug-trafficking and terrorism with the victim running the risk of paying the price depending on the seriousness of the crime.
Before and after Ambassador Purity Muhindi was posted at the Embassy, charges of human smuggling and visa racket at the Embassy had been rampant and what this case shows is that there may have been some fire from the smoke that has been bellowing from the background.
With the emergence of this case, Kenyans who have taken Swedish citizenship and who handed over their passports to the Embassy may have reason to worry because as they continue to exist as Swedish citizens, their old Kenyan passports may have been converted into lucrative and valuable goods by corrupt Embassy staff headed by Purity who appear to be using such passports to make money illegally. There seem to be no end to the number of scandals at the Embassy. KSB is following the case.
Okoth Osewe
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Purity is at it again which proves that all the past suspicions have been correct.She is the boss and any wrong made through the Embassy is her responsibility.
I disagree with you Ha and Osewe,Lady hon Purity does not have to sell Kenya PP to survive as acorrupt, there are thausands way she could make monies, remember that guy(diplomat) from Japan how he med millions and nothing happened to him , instead he was promoted and transfered to (now ambassador)Libya! the corruption issues should be directed to Kajwang.Do not hold grudge with the lady Osewe may be she worked hard for that position like other political diplomats who are good for nothing.
KSB: Were you also there when land at the residence in Narca was sold to a neighbour at Ksh 2M? or when she made away with 10.000kr pay of a Kenyan gardener after refusing him toilet facilities? Do you know anything about fake rennovations at the residence and human smuggling syndicate through the Embassy? Are you aware about the relationship between Purity and First Lady Kibaki?
Wananchi wenzangu, I would like to bring to your attention a mega scandal that has been unearthed at the Kenya Embassy in Washington DC. As many of you may know, the scandal as reported here a while back involves the dissapearance of close to $2.5 Million in over a period of three years.
Most of these funds are collections from visa fees, passport renewal fees, funds allocated for settlement of newly posted staff, and funds for office renovation.
http://www.breakingnewskenya.com/2009/05/09/what-is-going-on-at-the-kenya-embassy-washington-dc/
Daktari Andy read both the Nation and Standard newspapers issued today for an exclusive on the high level of corruption involving many Kenyan embassies for you to understand how the current topic.
Someone advise me pls. When i became a swedish citizen, i gave my kenyan passport to the kenyan embassy office here in stockholm. Was i supposed to get a letter confirming from the embassy confirming they had gotten my passport? I am really confuced because my kenyan passport had a permanent stamp to sweden.
KSB: Yes. Without such a letter, there is no proof that you handed over the passport. The passport is “a property” of the Republic of Kenya and handing over this property without an acknowledgement letter is like taking your BMW back to the dealer to keep without getting a single paper that the property has changed hands.
from ma point of view if you were granted Swedish citizen ten yrs ago, the Swedish immigration board use to take the KENYAN passport without refunding it back and if so they use to cancell the permanet resident! this does not make any sense ,i think your case is one in a million.
I was granted swedish citizenship 5 yrs ago and took my kenyan passport to the Kenyan embassy and the guy on the counter got it and never said anything about a letter or cancellation. anyway, i will take this with him and find out how to solve it to avoid future problems with the authorities here.
for instance i am planning to travel to sweden how long will it take me to get the dual citizenship of the both countries am intreasted on…ELVIS OCHIENG OJURO from KENYA
KSB: Five years.