A Department of Home Affairs official found guilty of fraud has been sentenced to an effective 10 years behind bars.

Nhlanhla Mathebula, 39, was convicted of corruption and contravention of the Immigration Act in the Nelspruit Commercial Crimes Court this week. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the accused was convicted on 12 counts of corruption in Contravention of Section 4(1)(a) of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004 and 13 counts of Contravention of Section 49(14) of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002.

NPA spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said Mathebula was a Department of Home Affairs employee stationed at White River, Mpumalanga.

“During May 2021, the accused would illegally process passport applications for illegal immigrants.

“Along the process, he would swap the picture of the South African citizen with that of a foreign national.

“These applications would usually be processed late at night and sometimes in the early hours of the day.”

Mathebula would even go to the office to process the applications, even when he was on leave.

“He would be paid an amount ranging from R1,000 to R5,000 per application.”

The NPA said Mathebula was caught after one of his “clients” confused him with his Home Affairs colleagues when they wanted to be assisted with a fake passport.

“The matter was reported to the Hawks, and investigations ensued, leading to the accused`s arrest.”

During the trial, senior State advocate Themba Mavundza told the court that these kinds of crimes affected the reputation of the country, therefore, the court must impose a sentence that will deter offenders.

Mathebula was sentenced to 10 years of direct imprisonment, and the court ordered that the amount of money the accused received as gratification during the commission of the offence be recovered from the accused’s pension funds and transferred to the Criminal Assets Recovery Account.

“The court also made an order that the passports the accused issued be forfeited to the State,” concluded Mathebula.