Tredgold fake IDs masterminds arrested

Two suspects, Brian Veririzhe and Thamsanqa Moyo, have been arrested for allegedly operating a sophisticated identity card forgery racket at the Umguza Civil Registry Department, located in the Tredgold Building in Bulawayo.

The arrests were carried out last Friday by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) following a detailed exposé by the Zimpapers Investigations Desk, which alerted authorities to the suspected fraud operation.

CID spokesperson, Detective Inspector Rachel Muteweri, confirmed the arrests yesterday, stating that Veririzhe, of Stand 3 Wellington Road in Montrose, and Moyo, of House Number 63 Derby Road in Bellevue, have been charged with fraud and forgery.

"The Zimbabwe Republic Police has arrested Brian Veririzhe and Thamsanqa Moyo for fraud and forgery following a case involving the attempted replacement of an identity document," said Det Insp Muteweri.

According to police, the incident traces back to January 3, 2025, when a woman identified as Buhle Sibanda approached the Tredgold Civil Registry office seeking to replace her lost national identity card. There, she was allegedly approached by the two suspects who offered to assist - for a fee.

Veririzhe reportedly used his mobile phone to capture Sibanda's passport-sized photo, which he then sent to Moyo. Moyo, using his computer equipment, allegedly produced a counterfeit national identity document bearing Sibanda's image.

The suspects then attempted to pass off the fake ID at the Umguza District Civil Registry Office, with Veririzhe falsely presenting himself as a civil servant from the Deeds, Companies and Intellectual Property Office in Bulawayo. He introduced Sibanda as a relative in need of a document replacement.

However, a vigilant registry officer noticed irregularities on the ID and raised an alert. The forged document was flagged, and investigations led to the arrest of Veririzhe and Moyo on April 10. The case is now pending trial.

Authorities say Buhle Sibanda is still at large, and the police have issued an appeal for information regarding her whereabouts.

"We commend the vigilance of the Civil Registry officials and urge members of the public to report any suspicious activities involving official documentation," added Det Insp Muteweri.

Further inquiries revealed that Veririzhe is employed by Dokma Private Limited, a company contracted to digitise systems for the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage's Deeds, Companies and Intellectual Property Office.

Although the forged ID appeared authentic, registry officers grew suspicious when the photograph bore an exact likeness to Sibanda's appearance - including her clothing and makeup on the day of application. Sibanda had claimed the ID had been originally issued in 2019, a claim contradicted by the photo evidence.

Investigations also found that Sibanda had listed her rural home as being under Chief Tshabanda in Tsholotsho District - a title authorities confirmed does not exist.

Under further questioning, Sibanda admitted that the photograph was taken outside the Tredgold Building on the same day and that she had paid US$30 to Veririzhe for his illegal services.

The police have warned the public against engaging in fraudulent identity document schemes, as such offences attract serious legal consequences.