In response to an article in one of the dailies, dated February 6, 2017, the Office of the Registrar General has directed an investigation into the PNG Civil and Identity Registration (PNGCIR) system.
This is to establish the issuance of a birth certificate to obtain a PNG passport by Iranian refugee Sawari Loghomon.
Following the investigations, Registrar General, Dickson Kiragi, verified that Loghomon was not issued with a birth certificate with security features.
A National Identity Card, through the current PNG Civil & Identity Registration System, further verified that the birth certificate issued did not match the Birth and NID entry number.
However, Kiragi said Logohomon may have colluded with an agent and used the old system, now obsolete, to obtain the Blue certificate (without security features) under the name of Junior Charles Sawari, originating from Central Province. This is for the purpose of obtaining a passport.
In this regard, Kiragi says proxy registration was used to avoid detection, which is common with the old registration system.
He says the process of obtaining an identity document through the PNG CIRS system has been improved since its launching in 2015, therefore making the old system obsolete.
“Any record entered into the PNGCIRS system goes through a stringent process and due diligence to qualify the registration in order for the certificates and the National Identity Cards to be printed and issue.
“This is possible with the photograph of the applicant, fingerprints and biodata used for the purpose of validation.”
The Office of the Registrar General advises that a thorough investigation will be carried out on the matter.
“We will also request the assistance of the Police to also charge Mr Sawari Loghomon for defrauding the Civil and Identity Registration System and falsifying identity, including any agent or staff who may have colluded. The particular registration will be de-registered forthwith.”
Pertaining to the above, Kiragi has appealed to all government agencies, private institution and all users of identity documents in
PNG CIR should be contacted for replacement certificates.
“PNG Civil and Identity Registry do not deal with any registration agent for the purpose of birth and NID Registration, nor accept proxy registration for anyone.
“All applicants over 18 years are required to present themselves for registration with supporting documents verifying the claim to own identity and all parents, guardians or adopted parents are required to register their children and a proof verifying their filiation to the child must be provided as well.”
Loghoman, who fled to Fiji, was charged last Friday with providing false information for the purpose of obtaining a passport.