JEDDAH, 5 March — Security authorities have arrested Muhammad Sharief Sultan Ahmad, a Burmese national and imam of a mosque in Makkah, for allegedly forging official papers and stamps to collect donations.
Officers of the Passports Department’s forgery division are questioning the man for possessing a number of forged stamps and papers and being involved in swindling.
According to Okaz daily, Ahmad confessed that he used the stamps to collect money through illegal means — exploiting his position as an imam (prayer leader) at a mosque in the Nakasa district in the holy city.
The paper said that Ahmad forged recommendation papers of well-known imams, preachers and prominent personalities and presented them to businessmen and philanthropists.
Brig. Muhammad Al-Quthami and Capt. Salman Al-Suwaihery of the forgery division are investigating the matter, the paper said.
The officers confiscated the stamps of Ashraf Al-Uloom Charitable School for Qur’an Memorization, Aziz-ul-Uloom Charitable School in Bangladesh, Riyadh-ul-Uloom Charitable School in Pakistan, Maulana Muhammad Sharif, director of the Pakistani school, and Noor Hussein, director of Riyadh ul-Uloom school.
The investigators also confiscated a number of forged receipts for collecting donations as well as forged letters from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and the Presidency for the Two Holy Mosques Affairs.
“He forged all these stamps and papers to collect donations from Saudis, expatriates and pilgrims,” the Arabic daily said, quoting Ahmad’s confessions.
The Passports Department in Makkah has warned the public against dealing with such swindlers. It also urged businessmen and philanthropists to donate their money to well-known charitable organizations.
