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4 Cameroonians in court for falsifying Zimbabwean passports
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Four Cameroonian nationals appeared in court on Saturday facing charges of falsifying information to obtain Zimbabwean birth certificates and passports. The accused - Duma Ebako Christiana Boyombe (39), Yvette Kum Noam (24), Marvel Ngeyi Tegha (28), and Emile Muya Muya (23) - were remanded in custody by Harare magistrate Fadzai Mthombeni until October 2, pending a bail application.
They face charges of bribery and violating the Birth and Death Registration Act.
Prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti told the court that between July 7 and September 16 this year, the accused sent US$3,200 from Cameroon through Western Union to bribe officials at Zimbabwe's Registrar-General's Department. The alleged bribe was facilitated with the help of a Zimbabwean, Tafadzwa Chiundiza, who is currently on remand for the same offense.
Chiundiza, working with Leona Patience Funga and an individual known only as Jeff, allegedly paid US$440 to Tawanda Wanira, an employee at the Mt Darwin Registrar-General Department, to fraudulently process birth certificates for the four Cameroonians. The certificates bore fake Zimbabwean names - Christiana Mhereyenyoka, Marvel Chimbwanda, Yvette Maini, and Emile Chingwaru - listing non-existent parents.
The money was reportedly sent to Wanira's EcoCash account via an agent, who distributed US$90 to Mike Kudzai Chikumba and Titos Mutandwa to expedite the issuance of identity documents at the Epworth Sub-Office in Harare.
Using these fraudulent birth certificates, the four Cameroonians applied for Zimbabwean passports on September 17, which were issued two days later.
Their scheme unraveled when they were arrested at Beitbridge Border Post, attempting to cross into South Africa with the fraudulent documents.
Meanwhile, three officers from the Epworth Registrar's Office, who allegedly assisted the Cameroonians, are also in custody facing charges of criminal abuse of office.
They face charges of bribery and violating the Birth and Death Registration Act.
Prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti told the court that between July 7 and September 16 this year, the accused sent US$3,200 from Cameroon through Western Union to bribe officials at Zimbabwe's Registrar-General's Department. The alleged bribe was facilitated with the help of a Zimbabwean, Tafadzwa Chiundiza, who is currently on remand for the same offense.
Chiundiza, working with Leona Patience Funga and an individual known only as Jeff, allegedly paid US$440 to Tawanda Wanira, an employee at the Mt Darwin Registrar-General Department, to fraudulently process birth certificates for the four Cameroonians. The certificates bore fake Zimbabwean names - Christiana Mhereyenyoka, Marvel Chimbwanda, Yvette Maini, and Emile Chingwaru - listing non-existent parents.
The money was reportedly sent to Wanira's EcoCash account via an agent, who distributed US$90 to Mike Kudzai Chikumba and Titos Mutandwa to expedite the issuance of identity documents at the Epworth Sub-Office in Harare.
Using these fraudulent birth certificates, the four Cameroonians applied for Zimbabwean passports on September 17, which were issued two days later.
Their scheme unraveled when they were arrested at Beitbridge Border Post, attempting to cross into South Africa with the fraudulent documents.
Meanwhile, three officers from the Epworth Registrar's Office, who allegedly assisted the Cameroonians, are also in custody facing charges of criminal abuse of office.
Source - newsday
