Woman falls to her knees after being cleared of charge

A woman from Cameroon fell to her knees and wept outside a courtroom at Cork District Court when she was cleared of having a false passport yesterday.

Diarmuid Kelleher, solicitor, said Florence Mgbemena did not know the passport in her possession was false and that the offence stipulated not just that she had a false passport but that she knew or believed it was a forgery.

Mr Kelleher said the accused was living at the asylum centre at Kinsale Road, Cork, and in receipt of €19.10 per week, and was in effect in limbo.