A former home affairs employee who illegally processed passports for illegal immigrants was on Thursday sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
The Nelspruit specialised commercial crimes court earlier found Nhlanhla Mathebula, 39, who was stationed in White River, guilty of 12 counts of corruption and 13 of contravening the Immigration Act.
During May 2021, Mathebula illegally processed passport applications for illegal immigrants. He swapped the pictures of South African citizens with those of foreigners, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said.
These applications were usually processed late at night and sometimes in the early hours. He even went to the office to process the applications when he was on leave. He was paid between R1,000 and R5,000 per application.
“The accused was arrested after one of his clients confused him with his home affairs colleague who wanted to be assisted with a fake passport,” Nyuswa said.
Mathebula pleaded not guilty but senior state advocate Themba Mavundza led evidence of home affairs officials which showed he did not follow proper processes when he was issuing the passports.
“The accused later made admissions which were tantamount to a plea of guilt.”
The court ordered the money Mathebula received as a gratification during the commission of the offences be recovered from his pension fund and transferred to the Criminal Assets Recovery Account.
The court also made an order that the passports the accused issued be forfeited to the state.
TimesLIVE
Ten years for former home affairs employee who made passports for illegal immigrants
Image: NPA Communications.
A former home affairs employee who illegally processed passports for illegal immigrants was on Thursday sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
The Nelspruit specialised commercial crimes court earlier found Nhlanhla Mathebula, 39, who was stationed in White River, guilty of 12 counts of corruption and 13 of contravening the Immigration Act.
During May 2021, Mathebula illegally processed passport applications for illegal immigrants. He swapped the pictures of South African citizens with those of foreigners, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said.
These applications were usually processed late at night and sometimes in the early hours. He even went to the office to process the applications when he was on leave. He was paid between R1,000 and R5,000 per application.
“The accused was arrested after one of his clients confused him with his home affairs colleague who wanted to be assisted with a fake passport,” Nyuswa said.
Mathebula pleaded not guilty but senior state advocate Themba Mavundza led evidence of home affairs officials which showed he did not follow proper processes when he was issuing the passports.
“The accused later made admissions which were tantamount to a plea of guilt.”
The court ordered the money Mathebula received as a gratification during the commission of the offences be recovered from his pension fund and transferred to the Criminal Assets Recovery Account.
The court also made an order that the passports the accused issued be forfeited to the state.
TimesLIVE
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