A criminal case against a 24-year-old man who posed as a UN ambassador has been postponed to January 23 for the accused to obtain legal representation.
Nhlanhla Sizani appeared briefly in the Pretoria magistrate’s court on Tuesday on charges of fraud, forgery and uttering after he was issued with summons in December.
It is reported that during the local government elections in 2021, Sizani submitted a fraudulent letter with UN insignia (a distinguishing badge or emblem of military rank, office, or membership of an organisation) requesting the SAPS (SA Police Service) escort to polling stations for the duration of the elections.
The UN is an intergovernmental organisation whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and serve as a centre for harmonising the actions of nations.
Currently, the organisation is made up of 193 member states, and has evolved over the years to keep up with the pace of a rapidly changing world.
However, one thing has remained the same, it is one place on earth where all nations can gather, discuss common problems, and find shared solutions that benefit all of humanity.
Police escort to polling stations
In a statement released by the Hawks, Sizani is said to have been escorted by the SAPS’ diplomatic police unit to various polling stations as an observer.
“Through an investigation by the Hawks’ crime against the state [which falls] within the serious organised crime investigation [unit], the UN confirmed that Sizani was not an ambassador or diplomat observer and the request for escort was not requested by them,” said the Hawks in a statement.
It has been revealed that the SAPS suffered a financial loss as a result of the misrepresentation.
In a separate case of forgery, police have arrested at least 11 people in relation to buying and selling of fake certificates, including academic certificates, over the past six months.
Umalusi CEO, Dr Mafu Rakometsi, said the first two suspects were arrested in Limpopo and Gauteng. “One suspect was arrested in Pretoria and eight were nabbed in Burgersfort, Limpopo,” said Rakometsi.
Umalusi sets and monitors standards for general and further education and training in South Africa.
It is tasked with the development and management of a sub-framework of qualifications for general and further education and training and for quality assurance.
