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Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
A 44-year-old Beitbridge man believed to be part of a syndicate using fake customs and immigration stamps to clear travellers and goods at the country’s port of entry has been remanded in custody to April 1 for possession of articles for criminal use.
Thomas Chidza of 3600 in Dulivhadzimu, was arrested early on March 19 by border security officials during a sting operation at his bogus “immigration office”.
Chidza was nabbed at around 2am after having allegedly assisted a South African bus crew member to enter the country by endorsing his passport with a fake immigration stamp.
He was not asked to plead to the charge when he appeared before Ms Annia Chimweta who remanded him in custody to April 1.
Prosecuting, Mr Ronald Mugwagwa told the court that on March 18, police detectives received information that Chidza was in possession of fake Zimbabwean and South African immigration date stamps he was using to clear travellers for passage in and out of the country.
He said the police raided his home and recovered two fake Zimbabwean immigration date stamps, three fake South African immigration date stamps and one inkpad.
The police also found Chidza in possession of seven passports belonging to Norman Mandaza, Handsome Luphahla, Moses Djaji, Samuel Kasimu, Maimba Stanley Chimwende, Wilson Banda and Majidhu Kazembe.
Chidza’s arrest comes a few years after the fake stamps’ syndicates was dismantled by border officials when they nabbed two of the kingpins with 48 fake immigration and customs stamps.
Vanu Juawo and Osman Sibanda were found in possession of 41 replica stamps of the South African Immigration Department and seven imitations of the Zimbabweans immigration authorities’ date stamps.
The two were busted soon after endorsing the fake stamps on six passports.
In 2017, a 29-year-old Zimbabwean man, Duncan Danda, was jailed for six years by a Musina (South Africa) magistrate for opening an illegal office at that country’s component of the border.
He was arrested at his base within the border taxi rank by the specialized crime unit, The Hawks, and was convicted on two counts of contravening a section of the Immigration act.
For the first count, he was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment set aside for five years, and fined R10 000 for the second count.
Danda was accused of giving prospective travellers a stay of up to 90 days in that country.
Under South Africa’s immigration laws, Zimbabweans are allowed a stay of not more than 90 days in that country per year.
Online Reporter