Man held for issuing bogus university certificates

Manama: An Egyptian who had allegedly forged 800 university degree certificates has been arrested in Kuwait.

The forger sold several of the bogus degrees allegedly issued by a local university to Jordanian and Egyptian expatriates to help them obtain driving licenses, local daily Arab Times reported on Wednesday.

The unidentified Egyptian was arrested after the General Traffic Department discovered the forgery. Security sources told the daily that a printer, reportedly used to print the certificates, had been confiscated from the home of the Egyptian national who confessed that he had issued 800 degree certificates. According to the daily, 44 people who had obtained the driving licenses using the forged certificates have been summoned for interrogation.

Under Kuwait's traffic laws, a foreigner must have a university degree to apply for a driving licence. The rule is to help limit the number of vehicles on the roads.

However, last month, a report said that the authorities were looking into easing the condition.