KwaZulu-Natal Home Affairs Official Sentenced for Passport Fraud, SA Applauds
- A Department of Home Affairs official has been given a hefty sentence for her part in a fraudulent passport scheme
- Judith Zuma was given a 35-year sentence for running a scheme in which she paid South African citizens for their fingerprints to create passports for foreign nationals
- She pleaded guilty to 1159 charges, and South Africans welcomed the sentence, with some seeing it as progress
With nine years' experience, Tebogo Mokwena, a current affairs writer for Briefly News, provided insights into the criminal justice system and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.
Source: Getty Images
DURBAN, KWAZULU-NATAL — A Department of Home Affairs official who worked in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal ran an elaborate passport scheme that saw her receiving 35 years imprisonment.
Zuma involved in passport scheme
According to SABC News, Judith Zuma faced 1159 charges for aiding a criminal network that operated in Richards Bay, outside her jurisdiction. She paid South African citizens between R300 and R500 for their fingerprints. She then used these fingerprints to create and obtain passports for foreign nationals.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
She allegedly assisted a foreign criminal syndicate in getting passports for Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Democratic Republic of Congo foreign nationals. The syndicate then replaced the original pictures with those of the foreign nationals. She was sentenced at the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court after pleading guilty to all charges.
South Africans welcome the sentence
Netizens on Facebook applauded the stiff sentence she received.
Ayanda Prometheus said:
"Now we are making progress in South Africa."
Mzwandile Zwai Gola said:
"Eish, this surname Zuma in our country is a problem."
Ntokozo Teekay said:
"We're heading in the right direction now."
Harry Masipa said:
"The rule of law in action."
Salvin Rianze Sithole said:
"Something good is happening in our country."
Wondertainment Media and Communication said:
"Hope this will send a message to all those people who are doing these things."
Home Affairs official arrested for allegedly selling IDs to foreign nationals
In a related article, Briefly News reported that a Home Affairs official was arrested and appeared in court for allegedly selling IDs.
The man reportedly sold IDs worth R50,000 to foreign nationals and was arrested after a previously convicted foreign national was investigated for assuming a South African's identity.
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU - click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!
Source: Briefly News
