Johannesburg – Arfan Ahmed, the Pakistani kingpin of a racket involving bribing home affairs officials to unlawfully issue SA passports to foreign nationals, has been sentenced to a combined 18 years in prison.
Ahmed was convicted of corruption related to bribing officials at the Krugersdorp Home Affairs office.
The accused paid bribes of R45 000 to home affairs officials.
Ahmed was trapped and arrested in a sting operation that included the Counter Corruption Branch of Home Affairs, the Hawks, and the Police Crime Intelligence at the Home Affairs office in Krugersdorp in March 2022.
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In the aftermath of Ahmed’s arrest, his home was searched, where multiple SA passports were found.
For this offence, Ahmed was sentenced to eight years in prison.
As the kingpin of the passport photo swap, he was sentenced to another 10 years imprisonment by the Krugersdorp Regional Court.
Ahmed was convicted and sentenced to a combined 18 years in prison for his involvement in the overall passport syndicate activities.
The Department of Home Affairs on Monday said the passport syndicate sought to undermine the country’s laws by fraudulently procuring South African passports for Pakistani nationals who did not have a legal right to possess these documents.
Investigations revealed that Ahmed was working with some corrupt Home Affairs officials in Gauteng, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and Mpumalanga.
At least 12 corrupt Home Affairs officials who enabled Ahmed’s illegal passport scheme have already been fired.
Commenting on Ahmed’s sentencing, Home Affairs Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, said: “It’s a welcomed development.
“The courts are sending a strong message that crime does not pay.
“We’ve been waiting patiently for the sentencing of this kingpin for his role in the Krugersdorp passport syndicate.”
Dr. Motsoaledi added: “This is an illustration that in our unflinching commitment to uproot fraud, corruption, and all sorts of crimes bedeviling our country, we make sure that kingpins and their lieutenants face the full might of the law.
“Passport fraud is not a victimless crime. Every single South African is a victim because we are now forced to apply for visas when we visit countries such as the United Kingdom.
“This was not the case before syndicates like these denigrated our passports.
“We will therefore have no mercy to anybody whatsoever, Home Affairs official or outsider, who gets involved in these dastardly acts. We are doing so to protect the interests of all South Africans.
“I urge all citizens to immediately report such acts of crime to the nearest police station or report them to Home Affairs officials and themselves to refrain from such criminal acts of selling our identity.”
Report Home Affairs-related crimes by calling the National Anti Corruption Hotline on the toll-free number 0800 701 701 or send an email to report.corruption@dha.gov.za
