Passenger caught at Dublin Airport bound for Canada with fake passport
Tom Tuite
A 26-year-old Nigerian man stopped at Dublin Airport has been refused bail after he was intercepted attempting to fly to Canada using a fake Portuguese passport.
Ibrahim Makonjuola, with an address in Clondalkin, Dublin, appeared before Judge Karen Dowling following his arrest at departures in Terminal 1 on Monday morning.
He is charged under Section 12 of the Immigration Act for failing to produce a valid passport or identity document on demand while being a non-national.
He faces a further charge under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act for possession of a false instrument, namely a fake Portuguese passport.
Garda Eimhin Walsh objected to bail, telling Dublin District Court that the accused was intercepted at the airport "with two massive suitcases" attempting to board a flight to Canada.
Garda Walsh stated that the accused was using a false document and had no valid documentation establishing his true identity. He added that official checks had verified the passport was not authentic.
Defence solicitor Edward Bradbury applied for bail, arguing that his client had originally arrived in Ireland via Cyprus from Nigeria, because his life was "in danger in Lagos".
Bradbury argued that Makonjuola could be granted bail with strict conditions, including regular signing on at a local Garda station.
He told the court that while the accused did not have a valid passport, he had a residence in the city and had maintained known addresses in Ireland since his arrival in the State.
Bradbury also stressed that while Makonjuola received a social welfare payment, he was of limited means. The judge noted he still had a flight ticket to Canada.
The solicitor added that he was confident the case could be finalised within the next couple of months and urged the court to admit his client to bail.
Refusing the application, Judge Dowling agreed that the accused maintained the presumption of innocence but ruled that he was a flight risk.
She remanded Makonjuola in custody to appear again at Cloverhill District Court later this week. Legal aid was granted.
