A Home Affairs official suspected to be a key mover in a marriage scam where South African women were illegally married to undocumented immigrants is expected to appear at the Durban magistrate’s court on Wednesday.
The official, who cannot be named until he appears in court, was attached to the department’s Durban office in KwaZulu-Natal.
She will appear in court together with her co-accused on charges of fraud and defeating the ends of justice.
The provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, stated that on Monday afternoon, clandestine home affairs was discovered through an intelligence-led operation led by crime intelligence officers, who collaborated with the Sydenham trio task team, the metro police tactical support unit, and Home Affairs immigration officers.
The office was apparently used to facilitate illegal marriages and spousal visas.
South African citizenship
The suspects are alleged to have conducted the sophisticated operation at a block of flats on Matthews Meyiwa Road in Greyville.
“The suspects would get hold of identity documents of South African women and marry them to strangers, especially undocumented foreign nationals, so that the fake husbands would attain South African citizenship,” said Netshiunda.
He stated that preliminary investigations have identified a Home Affairs official who has been working with the suspects.
He also explained that police were also hot on the heels of other people who are believed to have been part of the syndicate.
During the police raid, several application forms, copies of identity documents, and electronic devices were seized.
“Of the three suspects, two men will be charged with fraud, and the woman will face a charge of defeating the ends of justice after she attempted to conceal evidence by tearing some of the documents and throwing them inside a bin,” said Netshiunda.
Sunday World understands that some of the suspects would force unwary women to join the scheme in order to obtain quick money, then illegally marry them off to undocumented foreigners.
