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Home Affairs Counter Corruption and other law enforcement agencies nab the official who issued passport to “Lebohang from Bangladesh”

The Department of Home Affairs Counter Corruption Branch, working with the Hawks and other law enforcement agencies, have this morning nabbed the Home Affairs official who fraudulently issued the passport to “Lebohang from Bangladesh”. The official works at the Benoni Home Affairs office.

She is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow at the Benoni Magistrate Court for bail hearing.

The official is on suspension and her disciplinary hearing is scheduled to take place this week. If she is denied bail, the Home Affairs Department will arrange with the Department of Correctional Services for the hearing to be held at their premises.

Fahim Kazi became a news sensation as “Lebohang from Bangladesh” when he was arrested while trying to leave the country on 12 May 2022.

At the time of Kazi’s arrest, Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that the clampdown on the use of fraudulent South African documents was bearing fruit as the Department knew which corrupt official issued that fraudulent passport because that official had been on the radar of the counter corruption branch. The Minister also promised the country that the official would be arrested and face the full might of the law.

“We are determined to root out corruption in all its forms in Home Affairs. We will stamp out the use of fraudulent documents by people who do not deserve them. We will continue to arrest citizens and non-nationals who engage in the production of fraudulent documents,” said Minister Motsoaledi.

Minister Motsoaledi continues to urge South Africans to stop selling their identities to foreign nationals.

“If you sell identity, two things will happen. Firstly, we will arrest you. Secondly, you will not be able to access services in the country,” said Minister Motsoaledi.

Issued by Department of Home Affairs