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Date: 25 July 2003 By:
Gregory Mabaso (31), Nicolas T Siko (30) and Maxwell M Ramaite (44) were not asked to plead and were remanded in custody until July 28, for further investigations.
According to the Director of Communication and Liaison Services in the SAPS, Dir Phuti Setati, a complete asset forfeiture process would also be conducted under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. "These individual suspects are believed to be misusing their positions in the department for huge personal gains. Their victims are often not familiar with the rules and procedures governing their applications and do not know their rights," he added.
It is said that the three suspects were issuing illegal, fraudulent identity books, birth certificates and passports to both South African citizens and foreigners, mainly Zimbabweans. It is said that some of the South African residents were getting fraudulent identity documents and birth certificates for foreign women, in order for them to apply for child support grants.
The two officials arrested at Makhado, Mabaso and Siko, occupied the positions of Senior Administration Clerk and Administration Clerk. According to members of the Organised Crime Unit, the suspects would charge an individual more than R10 000 to issue a fraudulent document. "While those arrested do not form part of any syndicate, their arrests positively help in curbing organised crime, since syndicates use these opportunistic elements to acquire fraudulent documentation," Setati explained.
The trio will face charges ranging from fraud, corruption and the contravening of Section 31 of the Birth and Death Registration Act. Setati also remarked that corruption and fraud charges are regarded as serious offences in all states and need to be dealt with accordingly.
Another official in the Department of Home Affairs, will soon be arrested in Polokwane, he said.
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