The Westonaria Justice of the Peace’s Courtroom convicted and sentenced Mozambican nationwide Joissa Catarina Rodriguez Zunguze for fraud.
Authorities discovered her in possession of 19 tampered South African start certificates.
Investigation into Fraudulent Paperwork
In keeping with IOL, authorities arrested Joissa Catarina Rodriguez Zunguze, a Mozambican nationwide, on 18 September 2024 throughout an intelligence-driven operation led by the Westonaria police in collaboration with the Randfontein Division of Residence Affairs.
When officers took her into custody, she initially recognized herself as Thuli Mthembu, a South African citizen.
Nonetheless, additional investigation revealed her true identification as Joissa Catarina Rodriguez Zunguze, a citizen of Maputo, Mozambique.
Her true Identification revealed her unlawful presence in South Africa.
Throughout the arrest, authorities seized 19 fraudulent South African start certificates, resulting in suspicions that she was half of a bigger syndicate concerned in creating false identities.
Investigators suspected that corrupt officers from the Division of Residence Affairs may additionally be concerned within the operation.
Particulars of the Case and the Expenses
The Westonaria police station initially registered the investigation, and following her arrest Hawks West Rand critical industrial investigation unit later took it over.
Authorities confirmed that Zunguze had skilfully tampered with the seized paperwork for fraudulent functions.
Earlier this month on March 11 2025, Zunguze appeared in court docket and pleaded responsible to expenses of fraud, contravention of the Immigration Act, and possession of fraudulent paperwork
She was convicted on all expenses
On Thursday, 28 March, the Westonaria Justice of the Peace’s Courtroom sentenced her to 2 years’ direct imprisonment for fraud and three years for possessing fraudulent paperwork.
She additionally obtained a further 40-day sentence for contravening the Immigration Act.
Subsequent Steps
AlgoaFM reported that, upon finishing her sentence, authorities will deport Zunguze to Mozambique.
Moreover, they’ll destroy the fraudulent paperwork in her possession and cancel the falsified South African identification doc registered below the alias “Thuli Mthembu,” in keeping with Lt-Colonel Lloyd Ramovha.
In the meantime, Gauteng head of the Hawks, Main Basic Ebrahim Kadwa has welcomed the conviction and sentencing of Zunguze.
What measures ought to authorities take to stop fraudulent doc syndicates in South Africa?
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