Two more suspects arrested for corruption at Home Affairs in KZN
On Saturday, 14 June, five suspects, including an ex-Home Affairs official, were arrested by the Serious Corruption Investigation component of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (also known as The Hawks), which is based in Pretoria.
Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the execution operation emanates from a complaint from the Department of Home Affairs relating to the issuance of fraudulent passports to undocumented foreign nationals.
Mogale said the allegations reported serious offences include corruption, fraud, and contraventions of the Identification Act and Immigration Act that took place between February 2020 and July 2023, wherein a group of South African citizens allegedly facilitated the fraudulent acquisition of South African passports by foreign nationals at DHA offices in Durban, specifically the Commercial Street branch.
'These unlawful activities took place outside of regular business hours, including evenings, weekends and public holidays, when the Home Affairs offices were officially closed.
'Preliminary investigations by the DHA confirmed that the criminal activities were indeed conducted on off hours where the local citizens offered R300 to R1 000 in exchange for their cooperation especially at Home Affairs offices in Isipingo, Durban Central and Eshowe resulting in a case being opened for investigation by Serious Corruption Investigation,' Mogale explained.
According to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, so far, a total of 38 individuals have been previously arrested on the matter, between September 2022 to date of which seven are Home Affairs officials whilst 31 are private citizens.
A total of 24 individuals of whom four are Home Affairs officials have been convicted and sentenced to a combined sentence of 310 years imprisonment.
The other five suspects who were arrested by the Serious Corruption Investigation on 14 June in various parts of Durban will face charges of corruption, fraud, contravention of the Immigration Act; and contravention of the Identification Act.
The suspects are expected to appear at the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Tuesday, 17 June.
The DPCI has not ruled out the possibility of more suspects being arrested.
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