Durban — The Durban Magistrate’s Court has described the accused Department of Home Affairs officials as important people in a syndicate that issues fake passports for R3 000-R5 000 to foreign nationals.
Anda Ngozi and Nomthandazo Eunice Mboyana, who worked at the department as administration clerks, were sentenced on Thursday.
Ngozi was sentenced to 26 years but to serve an effective 10 years in prison while Mboyana was sentenced to 22 years but to serve an effective 8 years. Mboyana also faces another case.
They are convicted of more than 300 counts, which include fraud and the contravention of the Immigration Act 68 of 1997. They both pleaded guilty.
The pair were stationed at Queenstown, but they were able to go to Home Affairs offices in Commercial Road in Durban, and Prospecton, to commit the crimes. Mboyana captured the details on the systems, while Ngozi photographed the foreign nationals.
Magistrate G Davis said these were serious crimes that undermined the reputation of the country. He said the pair betrayed their employer and the Constitution.
Moreover, Magistrate Davis said the syndicate provided accommodation and transport for the officials. He said Mboyana received R125 000. He said these were serious crimes that should not be taken lightly.
“Corruption crimes are like a cancer in our country,” said Magistrate Davis.
The State in its evidence revealed that the officials acted in common purpose with others to defraud and misrepresent the Department of Home Affairs that the applications for the passports that they processed or caused to be processed were legitimate, true and correct in all aspects, and that correct procedures were followed.
Senior State prosecutor advocate Abbey Letsholo said: “The said applications were actually being processed for persons whose true identities and personal particulars are unknown to the State, using the details of South African citizens, and they were not authorised to process the said unauthorised passport applications.”
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