• Alfred Ubissi, 31, was charged with fraud and corruption for allegedly obtaining an ID illegally with the help of a home affairs official, Violet Mabena.
• Mabena reportedly charged R20 000 for the forged document.
• She allegedly took Ubissi’s fingerprints, crafting an ID with someone else’s details but Ubissi’s photo.
A 31-year-old accused of identity theft, with the alleged assistance of a Department of Home Affairs official, was charged with fraud and corruption in the KwaMhlanga Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) said they arrested Alfred Ubissi, believed to have been born in South Africa to a Zimbabwean father and a Mozambican mother, on Thursday on charges of fraud and corruption.
According to the Hawks, Ubissi allegedly approached Violet Mabena, a home affairs official, in 2021 to arrange an ID, as he was born to parents from two different neighbouring countries.
“The two parties entered into an agreement, and the home affairs employee put a price tag of R20 000 to finalise the deal,” the Hawks said in a statement.
The Hawks said that according to their information, Mabena arrived at Ubissi’s home on the agreed day with a fingerprints form and inkpad, where she proceeded to take his fingerprints.
“[She] completed the names reflecting on the birth certificate belonging to an unknown person to the suspect. It is alleged that after fingerprints were taken, Mabena was paid R3 000,” said the Hawks.
“Four months later, in December 2021, Mabena came to the suspect’s place with the identity document bearing the suspect’s photo, but somebody else’s name and surname.”
The Hawks received information from a reliable source, prompting an investigation that led to the court issuing a warrant of arrest against Mabena.
Mabena was arrested at her workplace in November last year.
She appeared in the KwaMhlanga Magistrate’s Court on the same day and was released on R3 000 bail.
“An intense investigation led the court to issue a warrant of arrest against the suspect [Ubissi],” said the Hawks.
The head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in Mpumalanga, Major-General Nico Gerber, expressed satisfaction with the professional investigation and stated that he believes justice will be served.
“We will not tolerate corruption in whatever form and will persevere in ensuring justice is served,” he said.