Police arrest five for alleged production of fake birth certificates at Johannesburg flat

The police arrested five people in Johannesburg after they caught them allegedly caught red-handed printing fake birth certificates and identity documents. According to IOL, the authorities swiftly acted on intelligence-driven information, leading them to a flat in Marshalltown on Tuesday.

According to Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo, the spokesperson for Gauteng provincial police, the suspects possessed fraudulent documents. The items confiscated were fake birth certificates, death certificates, university and college certificates, and identity documents.

Investigations revealed that criminals purportedly used these fake documents in illegal activities. The police had received reports of undocumented foreign nationals engaging in fraudulent activities, collaborating with corrupt Home Affairs officials to unlawfully produce various personal papers within the confines of the flat.

Upon entering the premises, law enforcement officers uncovered five males diligently operating laptops and desktop computers, actively printing and assembling forged documents. Subsequently, they seized significant evidence, including death certificates, birth certificates, passports, temporary IDs, and green IDs marked as deceased.

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The suspects, aged between 39 and 50, were promptly arrested and faced fraud, corruption, and bribery charges. Lieutenant-Colonel Masondo noted that the police anticipate further arrests and may add additional charges as the investigation progresses.

The individuals will appear before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court to face the charges against them.

This incident follows a previous case in November, where the Hawks arrested four Department of Home Affairs officials on allegations of fraud and corruption. Specifically, the Tzaneen officials faced accusations of colluding with intermediaries, commonly called “runners,” to recruit South African citizens to apply for passports fraudulently.

Law enforcement agencies remain committed to combating document-related fraud and corruption, aiming to safeguard the integrity of official identification papers and maintain public trust in governmental institutions.

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Picture: Twitter / Crime_SpotterSA