Missing Nationality Certificates Spark Immigration Investigation

Meanwhile, Minister of Immigration, Kareem Musa, is also addressing concerns surrounding two missing nationality certificates discovered at the department’s Belmopan office. The matter surfaced last week after the Ministry confirmed that internal reviews had identified discrepancies involving the official documents, prompting preparations for a formal police investigation.  According to the Ministry, investigators have not yet determined whether the certificates were misprinted, misplaced, or stolen. Officials say internal reports have already been compiled and are expected to be handed over to the Belize Police Department as part of the next phase of the investigation.  Today, Minister Musa explained that while the circumstances surrounding the missing certificates remain unclear, the ministry is treating the matter seriously and has moved quickly to secure records and tighten oversight procedures while investigations continue.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Immigration, Governance and Labour: “That one is not as straightforward. It came to the attention a few weeks ago to the ministry that there were two serial numbers, two particular certificates where the serial numbers were missing. Those two nationality certificates were missing. Whether that is as a result of a misprint, lost or stolen is still yet to be determined. Why we wanted to take action on it is to raise an alert, whether at the INTERPOL level or even our local level, we’re doing our checks to make sure those particular nationalities certificates were not utilized to get a passport. And if they were, it would absolutely be cancelled and so that process is taking place, that review between now and last year October because that was when that batch was open. And so we’re looking to see that no one has applied for a passport, but at the same time, like I said, raising an international alert because it’s not only for the purposes of getting a passport, which is more than likely what, if it is that it was nefariously taken, that would be the intention but maybe even using it internationally, the nationality certificate. And so that’s the importance of raising the international flag on INTERPOL to make sure that we put out those serial numbers.”

Love News is following this developing investigation./