A man living in the North East sent a fake passport to Russia after being handed a package by a man at a party.
Malu Kasomba met a man at a party and was asked to send a package to Moscow in exchange for fifty euros. The 45-year-old agreed, and went to Ryman in Sunderland and sent the package via DHL. But the package, which included a fake Portuguese passport hidden inside a hardback book, was intercepted before reaching its destination and Kasomba was later arrested.
Kasomba, of Kirklea Road, Houghton-le-Spring, appeared at Newcastle's Moot Hall on Monday to be sentenced for a charge relating to the possession of an identity document with inappropriate intent. He had pleaded guilty to the offence at a previous hearing.
Read more: Newcastle woman tied up and threatened with fake gun while burglars stole £26,000 of jewellery
Kate Barnes, prosecuting, said on October 8, 2020, Kasomba was seen on CCTV entering a Ryman store in Sunderland city centre and paid to send a package containing a book via DHL to Moscow, Russia. She said: "The following day, the package was intercepted by DHL and contained a Portuguese passport inside a hardback book. The sender of the package was recorded as the defendant."
A few days later, Kasomba went back to the store to query why the package had been placed on hold, and told staff it was a book that a friend had left at his home. Ms Barnes said on October 18, the passport was examined and was found "not to have been issued by the relevant authority".
Kasomba was later arrested and told officers that he had been told to send a package to Russia by a man he'd met at a party and that it contained two passports, documents and cash when he looked inside. Ms Barnes added: "He was told to take the bag home and was contacted by the man two days later who said he would give him fifty euros to send it to Russia."
The court heard that Kasomba's mobile phone was also seized when he was arrested and videos were found of him flicking through the passport and saying it was a new document. The court was told that Kasomba was aware the passport was fake and that he pleaded guilty on the basis that it was going to be used in Russia by a man in order to gain employment. There was no suggestion it was to be used to facilitate any offending in the UK.
The court heard Kasomba had no previous convictions, with defence barrister Paul Rooney saying he had never been in trouble before.
Sentencing him, Judge Mark Giuliani, said that Kasomba has a family in the North East and lives here lawfully. He said he supports his family by working locally and handed him a 12 month community order. He must also complete 200 hours unpaid work and pay £95 court costs.
Read next:
- Ashington 'career thief' burgled two pubs on same day
- Consett driver caused death of girl after being 'encouraged' to 'fly' Ford Fiesta off ground
- Illegal Albanian immigrant found at Newcastle cannabis farm worth up to £120,000
- Locked up in November: Sick perverts and savage cat killer among 47 North East criminals jailed
- Birtley lout attacked police officer just TWO HOURS after prison release
