A female Home Affairs official accused of unlawfully issuing an SA passport to “Lebohang from Bangladesh” has been arrested and will appear at the Benoni Magistrate Court on Tuesday.
The official, based at the Home Affairs office in Benoni, was arrested on Monday by the Department of Home Affairs Counter Corruption Branch, working with the Hawks and other law enforcement agencies.
“The official is on suspension and her disciplinary hearing is scheduled to take place this week,” said Siya Qoza, spokesperson for the Minister of Home Affairs.
“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 SA 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,” Qoza.
“The Minister also promised the country that the official would be arrested and face the full might of the law.”