The White River Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga has uncovered a web of deceit and corruption involving illicitly obtained passports for foreign nationals.
In a significant development at the White River Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga, four individuals have been found guilty of fraud and corruption related to the illicit issuance of South African passports to foreign nationals hailing from Bangladesh and Pakistan. The case sheds light on a complex web of deceit involving both foreign nationals and complicit South African citizens.
The accused individuals, namely Faud Mohamed Ali, Christopher Marillier, Gabriel Samuel van der Merwe, and Sifiso Kheswa were identified and convicted as a result of a thorough investigation conducted by Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, a spokesperson for the Hawks in Mpumalanga. These individuals were implicated in offences under the Immigration Act, leading to their apprehension by the Middelburg-based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation.
According to the findings, a Department of Home Affairs official allegedly colluded with South African citizens in 2021 and 2022 to facilitate the acquisition of South African passports by foreign nationals from Bangladesh and Pakistan. The modus operandi involved impersonation, with the foreign nationals fraudulently replacing their photographs with those of the legitimate South African passport owners.
The legal consequences for the convicted individuals are substantial. They have been sentenced to either pay fines amounting to R100,000 or face three years of imprisonment for their violations of the Immigration Act. Additionally, each defendant received an R40,000 fine or a one-year prison term.
The unfolding saga also involves a separate case concerning a 40-year-old Home Affairs official named Nhlanhla Mathebula. The trial date for Mathebula has been set for March 9, 2023, as reported by Captain Sekgotodi. This suggests a broader network of corruption within the Department of Home Affairs, implicating officials in the illicit issuance of passports.
Notably, the investigation highlights a disturbing trend where foreign nationals exploited loopholes in the system by collaborating with corrupt insiders. One such case that gained public attention involved a Bangladeshi individual, Fahim Kazi, who attempted to leave South Africa using a passport fraudulently obtained under the name “Lebogang Ndlovu.” The incident raised concerns about the vulnerability of the passport issuance process and the potential security risks posed by such fraudulent activities.
The gravity of the situation is further underscored by the arrest of a Home Affairs official based in Benoni, who allegedly provided the fake passport to “Lebogang from Bangladesh.” This underscores the need for heightened vigilance and stricter measures within the Department of Home Affairs to curb corruption and ensure the integrity of the passport issuance process.
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In a collaborative effort, the Department of Home Affairs Counter Corruption Branch, the Hawks, and other law enforcement agencies played a crucial role in apprehending the implicated official. The multidisciplinary operation demonstrates the commitment of authorities to root out corruption and uphold the rule of law.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding national security by fortifying systems against fraudulent activities, especially within critical government departments like Home Affairs. The outcome of these trials will likely influence future measures aimed at preventing similar incidents and strengthening the overall integrity of South Africa’s immigration and passport issuance processes.