Libya detains foreign national over forged identity

The Office of the Attorney General has ordered the pre-trial detention of a foreign national and an employee at the Al-Hadba Civil Registry Office, over charges of falsifying civil status records and fabricating a fraudulent family registration.

In a statement, the Attorney General’s Office said investigations conducted by the Tripoli prosecution revealed that the foreign suspect conspired with two civil registry employees to manipulate official records. This enabled him to rely on forged documentation to unlawfully assume a public-sector role, in addition to participating in electoral processes without legal entitlement.

According to the statement, the suspect exploited the falsified records to obtain 19 national identification numbers for members of his family. These were subsequently used to issue Libyan passports and to access financial benefits allocated to Libyan families.

The investigation further found that the forged identities were used to obtain state allowances and to unlawfully benefit from foreign currency allocations designated for heads of households.

The Attorney General’s Office confirmed that all documents and records issued on the basis of the fraudulent activity have been suspended. It also stated that efforts are under way to trace and recover the financial proceeds resulting from the scheme.

Authorities have instructed law enforcement agencies to locate a second issuance officer believed to have been involved in the conspiracy, in preparation for legal action against all those implicated.

The case comes as part of ongoing efforts by the Attorney General’s Office to combat fraud and protect the integrity of civil registry systems and public funds.