The Hawks have nabbed a home affairs official who issued a fake passport to a Bangladesh national, Fahim Kazi, in the name of “Lebogang Ndlovu”.
The department launched an investigation into Kazi after he was arrested while trying to leave the country via OR Tambo airport last month.
The official who issued the fraudulent passport is on suspension. Her disciplinary hearing is scheduled to take place this week. She was arrested in Benoni, Gauteng. If she is denied bail, the department said it will arrange with correctional services for the disciplinary hearing to be held at its premises.
Kazi had applied for asylum in December 2015 but his application was declined after the department found he was not in need of asylum. He had appealed against the rejection.
During his arrest, he was found in possession of a travel permit purportedly issued by the Bangladeshi government. The permit is dated April 26 2022.
The department flagged this because he could not have been issued any documentation by his government because he is supposed to have run away to seek asylum in SA.
Minister Aaron Motsoaledi condemned fraud in his department.
“We are determined to root out corruption in all its forms in home affairs. We will stamp out the use of fraudulent documents by people who do not deserve them. We will continue to arrest citizens and non-nationals who engage in the production of fraudulent documents,” said the minister.
Motsoaledi warned locals who sell their identities that doing so will result in them losing their status in the country and their rights to basic services.
'Lebogang' from Bangladesh? Hawks nab home affairs official for issuing fraudulent passport
Image: 123RF/ Instinia
The Hawks have nabbed a home affairs official who issued a fake passport to a Bangladesh national, Fahim Kazi, in the name of “Lebogang Ndlovu”.
The department launched an investigation into Kazi after he was arrested while trying to leave the country via OR Tambo airport last month.
The official who issued the fraudulent passport is on suspension. Her disciplinary hearing is scheduled to take place this week. She was arrested in Benoni, Gauteng. If she is denied bail, the department said it will arrange with correctional services for the disciplinary hearing to be held at its premises.
Kazi had applied for asylum in December 2015 but his application was declined after the department found he was not in need of asylum. He had appealed against the rejection.
During his arrest, he was found in possession of a travel permit purportedly issued by the Bangladeshi government. The permit is dated April 26 2022.
The department flagged this because he could not have been issued any documentation by his government because he is supposed to have run away to seek asylum in SA.
Minister Aaron Motsoaledi condemned fraud in his department.
“We are determined to root out corruption in all its forms in home affairs. We will stamp out the use of fraudulent documents by people who do not deserve them. We will continue to arrest citizens and non-nationals who engage in the production of fraudulent documents,” said the minister.
Motsoaledi warned locals who sell their identities that doing so will result in them losing their status in the country and their rights to basic services.
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