Togo-Traveler from US sentenced for defrauding COVID-19 test

Accused of defrauding the results of his COVID-19 test in order to be able to travel from Lomé, a US citizen of about 72 years old has been tried and sentenced by the Togolese courts.

His accomplices, including a Togolese and a Franco-Tunisian are also being prosecuted.

As part of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, travelers are required to present a negative PCR test to validate the formalities at Lomé airport.

Positive for Covid-19 when he had to travel, the man obtained a false negative test with the help of two Togolese and a French-Tunisian.

The document was marked as a forgery and the hapless American was arrested.

Currently in quarantine, he was brought to justice and ended up being sentenced to twelve months suspended prison sentence and a fine of 2 million FCFA, about 3,400 US dollars.

His accomplices were also sentenced after meeting the Public Prosecutor.

The information was released Thursday by the COVID-19 Response Management Coordinator, Prof-Col Mohaman Djibril at the end of a meeting with media officials in Lomé.

“We need to move towards certain rules to allow everyone to resume activities. We are not going to allow some to prevent this recovery. This is why with the rigor we show, we manage to get our hands on the fraudsters, “said Colonel Mohaman Djibril.

In the same wake, Colonel Djibril said managers of nightclubs who carried out their activities illegally during the curfew of February 2021 were also condemned by the Togolese justice.