Durban — A Bangladeshi national who was arrested by law enforcement officials while trying to use an allegedly fraudulently acquired passport to leave the country via OR Tambo International Airport, is wanted for fraud in eThekwini after he applied for a passport he apparently did not qualify for at the Home Affairs office in Commercial Road.
The Department of Home Affairs said it was intensifying its fight against syndicates selling South Africans' identities to foreign nationals.
It said that its action against such schemes continued to yield positive results.
Home Affairs said that two Bangladeshi nationals were arrested by law enforcement officials that included Home Affairs Counter Corruption staff, Home Affairs Immigration staff and the Hawks, while trying to use allegedly fraudulently acquired passports to leave the country via OR Tambo International Airport.
They were remanded in custody for seven days after appearing at the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
“One of the Bangladeshis, Morshed Alam, arrived in South Africa in 2016 and is wanted for fraud in eThekwini after he applied for a passport he (allegedly) did not qualify for at the Home Affairs office in Commercial Road,” Home Affairs said.
“The official who (allegedly) issued this passport, Judy Zuma, was dismissed by the Department of Home Affairs in December 2021. She is currently facing criminal charges that include corruption, fraud and breaching the Immigration Act and the Identification Act. The corruption charge stems from her arrest in a sting operation after she (allegedly) tried to bribe a Counter Corruption officer with R10 000.”
Home Affairs said that the apparently fraudulent passport of the second Bangladeshi, Fakrul Islam, was allegedly issued by “Mathebula”. Islam arrived in South Africa in 2013 and is currently a holder of a Temporary Residence Visa which is due to expire in 2024.
Also on Friday, September 16, another South African national, Nico Ibrahim, was arrested at the Home Affairs office in Eldorado Park, south of Johannesburg.
Ibrahim had been on the run since April this year following the arrest of the “recruiter”, Mohamed Ali, former Home Affairs official Nhlanhla Mathebula, and four others who were allegedly involved in a photo swop scheme at the Home Affairs office in White River, Mpumalanga.
Both Ali and Mathebula were denied bail and are on trial at the Mbombela Magistrate’s Court. Ibrahim appeared at the Kliptown Magistrate’s Court on Monday and remains in custody for seven days, Home Affairs said.
Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said: “Our persistent efforts are paying off. Since we arrested the Pakistani kingpin and 29 other people including Home Affairs officials in Krugersdorp on March 24, we have been unrelenting. We have been on the trail of those participating in these schemes, and we are dealing harshly with our corrupt officials who facilitate these shameful acts.
“These arrests on Friday demonstrate that these criminals have nowhere to run. The police and our Counter Corruption unit are hot on their trail. We are expecting more arrests.”
The department said all documents found to have been issued in fraudulent schemes were immediately cancelled by the department.
Daily News