Man charged with forging NID certificates

By MICHELLE AUAMOROMORO
A MAN accused of allegedly forging National Identification (NID) certificates appeared before the Waigani Committal Court yesterday.
Valentine Yako, 29, from Kawaso village in Erave, Southern Highlands, was alleged to have forged the certificates while claiming to be an NID agent based in Port Moresby.
One of the victims engaged Yako to help him get NID certificates for his two children.
The man approached Yako after hearing from friends that Yako had helped many people to acquire their NID certificates.
He met Yako and gave him his children’s information including their names and birth dates.
Yako contacted the man a week later and handed him an envelope containing certificates for his children.
Yako was paid K100 (K50 for each certificate).
The man did not know the certificates were illegitimate till he attached the documents to his leave application and was told that they were fake.
Yako was alleged to have been forging NID certificates from May 1 to Dec 16, 2019.
He was charged with 12 counts of forging NID certificates.
The matter returns to court on Jan 22.