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Yeukai Karengezeka-Court Correspondent
A 26-year-old Ghanaian national yesterday appeared in court for attempting to travel to Dubai using fraudulently acquired Zimbabwean identity documents.
Zakia Abdul Ahmed Issah, who was arrested at Robert Mugabe International Airport pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and contravening the Immigration Act, before Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi.
She was remanded in custody until Friday for a possible trial date allocation.
Prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi alleged that Issah had been living in Zimbabwe illegally for an unknown period.
To regularise her stay, she obtained Zimbabwean identity documents through false information.
Then on September 17, 2018, Idah and Lyner Mufanachiya, who is still at large, provided false information to the Civil Registry Office in Mutoko.
Issah claimed to be a Zimbabwean national named Takudzwa Zakia Mufanachiya, born on May 15, 2000, in Chimuti Village, Chief Chimoyo, Mutoko.
This misrepresentation led to the issuance of a Zimbabwean birth certificate (MTK-01645-18). Issah used this birth certificate to obtain a Zimbabwean national identity card (48-176714-549) on January 26, 2022, and a Zimbabwean passport (AE981525) on January 29, 2024.
On September 26, 2024, Issah attempted to travel to Dubai using the fraudulently acquired passport. However, immigration officials became suspicious when she failed to speak any Zimbabwean language during verification.
Upon further investigation, Issah revealed her true identity as a Ghanaian national, leading to her arrest.
Meanwhile, four Cameroonian nationals who allegedly falsified information and acquired Zimbabwean birth certificates and passports were remanded in custody until tomorrow when they appeared in court at the weekend.
Duma Ebako Christiana Boyombe (39), Yvette Kum Noam (24), Marvel Ngeyi Tegha (28) and Emile Muya Muya (23) are facing charges of bribery and contravening the Birth and Death Registration Act.
The complainant is the State being represented by Detective Sergeant Shaibu in his capacity as the investigating officer currently stationed at CID Stores and Business Harare.
Prosecutor Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti alleged that between July 7 and September 16, 2024, the accused persons sent $3,200 from Cameroon through Western Union to bribe officers in the Registrar General’s Department.
They allegedly collaborated with Tafadzwa Chiundiza, a Zimbabwean currently on remand, to facilitate the bribe.
Chiundiza, along with Leona Patience Funga and another individual known only as Jeff, paid US$440 to Tawanda Wanira, an officer with the Registrar General’s Department in Mount Darwin, to process fraudulent birth certificates for the four Cameroonians.
The birth certificates bore Zimbabwean names: Christiana Mhereyenyoka, Marvel Chimbwanda, Yvette Maini, and Emile Chingwaru with non-existent parents.
The money was transferred into Wanira’s Ecocash account through an agent, Obert Mutandi, who then gave $90 to Mike Kudzai Chikumba and Titos Mutandwa to process identity documents at the RG’s Epworth Sub-Office in Harare.
Using these fraudulent documents, the four accused applied for Zimbabwean passports at the Registrar General’s Department in Harare on September 17 and received them on September 19.
The matter came to light when they were arrested at Beitbridge Border Post intending to travel to South Africa.
Meanwhile, three processing officers at the Epworth Sub Office who assisted the four Cameroonians were also brought to court facing criminal abuse of office charges.
Mike Kudzai Chikumbu, Titos Mutahwa and Roselyn Tesa were remanded in custody pending their bail ruling tomorrow.
Online Reporter