Zimbabwean Fraudster Arrested In SA For Selling Counterfeit Birth Certificates and Asylum Papers
In a major breakthrough, the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) successfully apprehended a 41-year-old Zimbabwean man accused of operating a fraudulent documents racket from an internet café in the Tsakane area. The Zimbabwean suspect allegedly sold various counterfeit documents, including doctors’ notes, temporary asylum seeker forms, and birth certificates, raising serious concerns over the security of official documents.
IOL reports that the EMPD’s crackdown on the suspect was a result of valuable information received about his illicit activities. Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa, the spokesperson for EMPD, stated that the officers swiftly acted upon the tip-off regarding the sale of asylum documents and raided the suspect’s location on Black and Nquthu Road in Langaville.
Upon conducting the raid, the EMPD discovered a stash of fraudulent documents, including temporary asylum seeker forms, birth certificates, and doctor’s notes, as confirmed by Thepa. The suspect, a 41-year-old Zimbabwean male, revealed that he acted as a middleman in this illicit trade, connecting with applicants and the anonymous document supplier solely through phone communication.
The investigation also revealed that the suspect allowed customers to make copies of their medical certificates at his internet café while retaining several copies for himself. Shockingly, fraudulent birth certificates belonging to him and his brother were also discovered at the premises.The suspect admitted his intention to earn money to purchase a fraudulent South African identity document, an illegal transaction that could have cost him R12,000.
The 41-year-old suspect has been taken into custody at the Tsakane police station on charges of possessing fraudulent documents. He is scheduled to appear before the Tsakane Magistrate’s Court soon. The authorities are actively pursuing additional charges under the Immigration Act (Act 13 of 2002) to ensure all individuals involved in this criminal operation face justice.
Not an Isolated Incident
In a separate but related incident back in March, the EMPD made another significant arrest involving fraudulent documents. A 45-year-old man riding a motorbike was apprehended after he allegedly presented a “fake” Zimbabwean driving license and initially ignored police instructions to stop. Constable Marie Mashishi of the EMPD stated that a case of fraud had been registered, and charges under the Immigration Act could be added.
Source iHarare
