Mpumalanga immigration officer, Bongi Gladys Shongwe appeared in the Tonga Magistrate Court on Wednesday where she faces charges of fraud and corruption.
Shongwe, 49, is accused of allegedly stamping an expired passport belonging to Tanzanian national, Ibrahim Siriri, in exchange for R1,000.
Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Dineo Sekgotodi said Shongwe was released on R5,000 bail while Siriri was remanded in custody.
His bail application will be heard on Thursday.
Sekgotodi said that on December 5, 2024, one of the border guards employed by Border Management Authority (BMA) at Jeppe’s Reef Border post intercepted Siriri and checked his passport and found that it had a departure date for December 31 stamped in his passport.
"He (Siriri) explained that he paid an amount of R1,000 to the immigration officer for him to stamp the passport and extend his stay in the country," said Sekgotodi.
Upon further investigation by the Nelspruit-based Serious Corruption Investigation, the stamp number was linked to Shongwe.
"It was also found that his temporary resident permit had expired on August 9, 2015," added Sekgotodi.
After investigations were finalised, the duo was arrested on Tuesday, December 10.
In October, IOL reported that the Department of Home Affairs took against 31 officials found to have flouted the law at various offices across the country.
The department said it took sanctions against errant officials with some being dismissed, suspended without pay or receiving final written warnings.
The department said two officials; Judy Zuma and Tony Stout have already been dismissed.
A BMA official, Dora Ncube, appeared in court on charges relating to allegedly smuggling six foreign nationals into South Africa.
Another official was arrested on charges of fraud.
Home Affairs Minister, Leon Schreiber said that officials who failed to heed the message of upholding ethical governance will soon find themselves out on their way to prison.
sinenhlahla.masilela@iol.co.za
IOL News