News / Regional
Bogus immigration officer arrested at Beitbridge border post
05 Jan 2017 at 15:26hrs | Views
A daring South African man aged 29 operated an illegal office at the Beitbridge border post carrying out duties done by bonafide immigration officials.
South Africa's specialised crimes investigations unit, the Hawks arrested him on Wednesday.
He was found with South Africa's Department of Home affairs immigration's stamps and an undisclosed amount of US dollars believed to have been paid to him by his unsuspecting clients.
It is not clear how many people used his facilities.
Hawks spokesperson for Limpopo, Captain Matimba Maluleke confirmed the incident.
"We acted swiftly on information about a person who had opened a one stop Home Affairs office in the heart of the border gate.
"The suspect was allegedly stamping passports of foreign nationals at the Beitbridge taxi rank," he said.
According to Maluleke, the Hawks suspect that the man was not operating alone.
"There is a huge suspicion that he was not working alone, as foreigners were able to exit and return to the country through his underhand craft".
Several people posing as immigration officials have in the past been arrested at the busiest border post.
South Africa's specialised crimes investigations unit, the Hawks arrested him on Wednesday.
He was found with South Africa's Department of Home affairs immigration's stamps and an undisclosed amount of US dollars believed to have been paid to him by his unsuspecting clients.
It is not clear how many people used his facilities.
Hawks spokesperson for Limpopo, Captain Matimba Maluleke confirmed the incident.
"The suspect was allegedly stamping passports of foreign nationals at the Beitbridge taxi rank," he said.
According to Maluleke, the Hawks suspect that the man was not operating alone.
"There is a huge suspicion that he was not working alone, as foreigners were able to exit and return to the country through his underhand craft".
Several people posing as immigration officials have in the past been arrested at the busiest border post.
Source - Byo24News
