Minister Schreiber says sentence handed to Home Affairs official for selling fraudulent passports sends strong message

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has welcomed the sentence handed down to a former department official for fraud.

Judy Zuma was sentenced to 12 years in imprisonment for being part of a syndicate that delivered fraudulent passports to unqualifying foreign nationals.

Zuma was also handed another 24 years suspended after she pleaded guilty and was convicted of charges, including the contravention of the Immigration Act.

According to the Hawks, the syndicate assisted foreign nationals from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Schreiber said that Zuma was to found to have processed 193 fraudulent passports.

She was paid R4,000 for each of the fraudulent documents.

“The message sent in this conviction is crystal clear: if you engage in corruption we will find you and we will pursue you until you are locked up,” said Schreiber.

“Under this new administration, we will not rest until we have cleansed the scourge of corruption from Home Affairs.”