A MAN who used a fake South African ID book and fraudulent accreditation certificates for his bogus nursing college is expected to appear in court today.
The 26-year-old Zimbabwean national allegedly obtained fraudulent accreditation certificates from the department of higher education and Umalusi.
He ran the St Ignatius FET College in Tzaneen, Limpopo, until he was exposed last year. After being on the run since March 2013, the illegal immigrant was finally arrested in Mpumalanga on Friday afternoon after a sting operation involving the Hawks and home affairs officials.
Limpopo provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, said the man was found with a substantial amount of money when he was arrested and that police had also confiscated his vehicle.
"The suspect is facing a charge of fraud involving more than R1.1-million, a charge of identity fraud because he was using a fraudulent South African ID. He will also be charged with contravening the immigration act," he said.
Mulaudzi said investigations were started after students who registered with the college went to the department of education to enquire whether the college was registered or not. After the matter was referred to the Hawks for investigation, it was revealed that the college was not registered with the department.
"The accreditation certificates from both department of higher education and Umalusi that the college was using were found to be bogus.
"Two accomplices, a manager and a suspected lecturer, were arrested. They have since been released under the immigration law after it was found that they were not connected to the running of the college," said Mulaudzi.
The Hawks' Major General Dibero Molatjana said they were still profiling the suspect.
newsdesk@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
Hawks grab owner of fake nursing college
A MAN who used a fake South African ID book and fraudulent accreditation certificates for his bogus nursing college is expected to appear in court today.
The 26-year-old Zimbabwean national allegedly obtained fraudulent accreditation certificates from the department of higher education and Umalusi.
He ran the St Ignatius FET College in Tzaneen, Limpopo, until he was exposed last year. After being on the run since March 2013, the illegal immigrant was finally arrested in Mpumalanga on Friday afternoon after a sting operation involving the Hawks and home affairs officials.
Limpopo provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, said the man was found with a substantial amount of money when he was arrested and that police had also confiscated his vehicle.
"The suspect is facing a charge of fraud involving more than R1.1-million, a charge of identity fraud because he was using a fraudulent South African ID. He will also be charged with contravening the immigration act," he said.
Mulaudzi said investigations were started after students who registered with the college went to the department of education to enquire whether the college was registered or not. After the matter was referred to the Hawks for investigation, it was revealed that the college was not registered with the department.
"The accreditation certificates from both department of higher education and Umalusi that the college was using were found to be bogus.
"Two accomplices, a manager and a suspected lecturer, were arrested. They have since been released under the immigration law after it was found that they were not connected to the running of the college," said Mulaudzi.
The Hawks' Major General Dibero Molatjana said they were still profiling the suspect.
newsdesk@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
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