A fraudulent Home Affairs official and two Ethiopian nationals have been arrested for passport fraud. The arrests come amid an investigation into illegal activities involving false documentation.

 

A fraudulent Home Affairs employee and two Ethiopian nationals have been arrested in Secunda for their involvement in passport fraud and theft, according to the Mpumalanga Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks). 

The arrests followed a tip-off about Lindiwe Kubheka, 45, allegedly collaborating with Ethiopian nationals Abdo Mustefu Musa, 44, and Mike Alex Abete, 38, to stamp expired passports. 

Provincial Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Sekgotodi reported that an undercover operation was launched after the tip-off. Abete was paid R20,000 to stamp expired passports but failed to fulfill the agreement. A warrant of arrest and a search-and-seizure operation were authorized and executed on September 16, 2024.Captain Dineo Sekgotodi reported that during a search related to passport fraud, police discovered a significant number of documents from both the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Transport. These documents are now set for analysis by the respective departments.

In questioning, one of the Ethiopian nationals, Mike Alex Abete, revealed that he had handed the R20,000 and the passports to Abdo Mustefu Musa. Musa then admitted to receiving both the passports and R5,000 from Abete, which he subsequently passed on to Lindiwe Kubheka. Kubheka, however, claimed to have only received the passports and R2,500.

During the search, three passports were recovered and seized. All three individuals appeared before the Eerstehoek Magistrate’s Court in Elukwatini and were released on R3,000 bail each. Their next court appearance is scheduled for November 5, 2024.

What steps are the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Transport taking to prevent further incidents of document fraud and ensure accountability following the arrest of individuals involved in passport fraud in Secunda?