A Benoni Home Affairs official appeared in the Benoni Magistrate’s Court on June 21 for allegedly issuing a fraudulent passport to ‘Lebogang from Bangladesh’.
Fahim Kazi became a news sensation as ‘Lebogang from Bangladesh’ when he was arrested on May 12 while trying to leave the country.
A spokesperson for the Minister of Home Affairs, Siya Qoza, said the Department of Home Affairs Counter Corruption Branch worked with the hawks and other law enforcement agencies to nab the official.
“The official is on suspension and her disciplinary hearing is scheduled to take place this week. If she is denied bail, the Department of Home Affairs will arrange with the Department of Correctional Services for the hearing to be held at their premises,” said Qoza.
At the time of Kazi’s arrest, Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that the clampdown on the use of fraudulent South African documents was bearing fruit as the department knew which corrupt official issued that fraudulent passport because that official had been on the radar of the counter-corruption branch.
The minister also promised the country that the official would be arrested and face the full might of the law.
“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 Motsoaledi.
Motsoaledi continues to urge South Africans to stop selling their identities to foreign nationals.
“If you sell an identity, two things will happen. Firstly, we will arrest you. Secondly, you will not be able to access services in the country,” said Motsoaledi.
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