Appeals Court Rules On Man With 23 Aliases
The Court has ruled on an appeal lodged by a man whose identify was unknown when he was originally charged, with the Court saying he is now believed to be a Ugandan national named Watson Ogon who apparently uses some 23 aliases.
According to the ruling, when he initially appeared in Court charged with false passports offences, his identity was unknown and he was charged under one name, with aliases earning a mention, and he now appeals under a third name which he claimed as his true name, with aliases also mentioned in the title of the appeal.
Confusion Surrounds Defendant’s Identity
The Court’s ruling said, “Nobody Knows My Name is a book title which the present case inevitably brings to mind.
“When the Appellant initially appeared in Court, his identity was unknown. By an Information dated July 29, 2015, he was charged under one name [Watson Ogon] with two aliases earning a mention [Alfred Thompson and William Gates].
“The Appellant appeals under a third name which he claimed as his true name when he last appeared before the Magistrates’ Court, although three aliases are still also mentioned in the title of the appeal.”
Defendant Sentenced After Pleading Guilty
“The six offences all related to two false passports, one a UKBOTC passport and the other a Bermuda passport.
” On October 14, 2015, in the Magistrates’ Court [Wor. Archibald Warner], he pleaded guilty to possession of a false instrument contrary to section 372[1] of the Criminal Code [in relation to the UKBOTC passport] and obtaining the Bermuda passport by deception contrary to section 345 of the Criminal Code, Counts 1 and 5, respectively.
“He was sentenced to two years imprisonment concurrently on each count, with no credit given for time spent in custody before sentence.”
Name Believed To Be Watson Ogon
The appeal — which is filed under the name “Billy Odoch” — says, “According to British data records apparently placed before the Magistrates’ Court his real name is believed to be Watson Ogon [against which name six criminal convictions are registered]; the name most recently used by the Appellant is merely one of 23 aliases which he has used in the past.
“It is not disputed that he is truly a Ugandan native and national.”
Appeal Against Conviction Dismissed, Time Spent In Custody To Be Taken Into Account
In explaining the decision, the ruling said, “The appeal against conviction is accordingly dismissed.
“The only arguable complaint about the sentences imposed which Mr Worrell advanced was that time spent in custody ought to have been taken into account.
“No written or oral reasons were given by the then Learned Senior Magistrate for departing from what Mr Richards, when pressed by the Court, conceded was the usual rule of imposing a sentence which gives credit for time spent in custody.
“The appeal against sentence is accordingly allowed to this very limited extent. The sentences of two years imprisonment are confirmed but the Order that time should start running from the date of sentence [October 14, 2015] is set aside and substituted with an Order that time spent in custody shall be taken into account.”
The full judgement follows below [PDF here]
Read More About
Category: All, Court Reports, Crime, News
