Man sentenced to three years for immigration fraud

A twenty-two-year-old man has been sentenced to three years in prison after he was found guilty of fraud and contravening the Immigration Act by the Kroonstad Magistrate’s Court on Monday. 

“Saddam Hussain and his partner were arrested at Bethlehem home affairs [in April] for allegations of aiding and abetting another foreign national to obtain a South African ID, however, the two were later released on a warning pending further investigation," said W/O Fikiswa Matoti. 

The Hawks would discover that Hussain had fraudulently obtained a South African ID and passport under the name Sibusiso Ntamo.

Furthermore, on May 15, Hussain applied for another ID smart card and passport at Kroonstad home affairs offices, claiming he lost his identity documents.

Kroonstad home affairs alerted the Hawks to the suspicious activity and a trap was set when Hussain went to collect the new smart card and passport on May 27.   

Upon his arrival, the Bethlehem Hawks and the home affairs’ counter-corruption unit arrested him. 

The court sentenced Hussain to three years in prison for fraud and an R2,000 fine for contravention of the Immigration Act or eight months in prison.