Chronicle EditorSikhumbuzo Moyo, Zimpapers Investigations Desk
A fake national Identity document issuing scam whose masterminds are working for a company contracted by the Department of Deeds, Companies and Intellectual Property has been busted at the Civil Registry Department’s Tredgold building in Bulawayo.
An alert Civil Registry Department official, according to sources at Tredgold building noted an anomaly when a lady who wanted a new plastic identity card visited the offices in the company of one of the masterminds, identified only as Brian.
The document appeared genuine, except that the client, Ms Buhle Sibanda’s photograph on the paper document matched the exact clothes and makeup she was wearing on that particular day, despite her claims that she had kept the photocopy since acquiring the original identity card in 2019. Ms Sibanda was born in 1995.
According to the document, it was also stated that her home chief in Tsholotsho was Tshabanda; however, there is no Chief Tshabanda in the district.
Upon interrogation, she revealed that the photograph was taken just outside Tredgold building on that very day and Brian had processed everything.
Investigations revealed that Brian works for a company called Dokma Private Limited, contracted to the Department of Deeds, Companies and Intellectual Property where it is working on the Deeds, Lands, and Administration Systems programme meant to digitalization its operations.
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