Cape Town: The Department of Home Affairs says more arrests were expected to follow after a Ghanaian national, who appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court this week on allegations of acquiring a South African ID under false pretences, was released on R10 000 bail.
The 32-year-old was arrested on September 15 after a Home Affairs official noticed discrepancies in the documents he presented when he went to apply for a passport at the department.
He was arrested, detained, and released on bail on Tuesday on condition that he hand in his passport and report to the Cape Town police station two days a week.
Home Affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza said the department had filed a criminal complaint with the police against the 32-year-old.
“The Home Affairs official requested a colleague from the law enforcement arm of Home Affairs, the inspectorate, to investigate the discrepancies.
“The inspectorate official found that there was reason to refer the matter to the police, who in turn, referred the matter to the National Prosecuting Authority.
“The individual is charged with fraud by misrepresentation and breaching the Immigration Act by, amongst others, being in the country illegally because he does not have a valid visa and breaching the Citizenship Act,” he said.
Qoza said they have additionally launched an internal investigation into how he acquired the documents.
“More charges and further arrests are likely to be made after the investigation has been concluded. The Department is waging a relentless war on corruption and fraud and anyone found to have committed illegal and criminal acts will be made to face the full might of the law,” he said.
In another case, the Department of Home Affairs noted that two Bangladeshi nationals were arrested while trying to use fraudulently acquired passports to leave the country via the OR Tambo International Airport last Friday.
Judy Zuma, a Home Affairs official who issued a passport to one of the suspects, was dismissed by the department in December last year.
She is facing criminal charges that include corruption, fraud and breaching the Immigration Act and the Identification Act.
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said their persistent efforts were paying off.
“We have been on the trails of those who are 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,” said Motsoaledi.
Cape Times