Fake customs stamps land man in trouble

A 32-YEAR-OLD who is believed to be part of a racket using fake customs and immigration stamps to clear goods and people between Zimbabwe and South Africa’s border has been fined $1 000.

Edson Basera of House 1620 Dulivhadzimo was arrested by border authorities early on Saturday morning while touting for clients within the border post.

A total of 12 valid Zimbabwean passports and one Zambian passport and two replica stamps of the Department of Immigration were recovered from Basera.

He was convicted on his own plea of guilty for contravening sections of the Criminal Law, Codification and Reform and Immigration Acts respectively when he appeared before Beitbridge Resident Magistrate Mr Langton Mukwengi yesterday.

Mr Mukwengi fined the man $500 for each count and if he defaults he risks imprisonment for 12 months.

He also conditionally suspended six months of the sentence for five years and in addition the 13 passports were forfeited to the State.

Prosecuting, Mr Jabulani Mberesi said on July 14, police detectives received a tip off that Basera had opened his illegal mobile immigration office within the border post.

The accused who was operating from his vehicle was then approached by policemen who searched him and recovered two fake immigration stamps and 12 Zimbabwean and a Zambian passport.

They subsequently arrested him and seized his tools of trade.

Of late there has been an increase in syndicates operation at the country’s border with South Africa using counterfeit customs and immigration stamps.

Last year, another suspect was jailed for two years after he was caught with 48 replica stamps for immigration and customs authorities from the two countries.

Recently, a 42-year-old cross-border bus driver was arrested by South African police after he was found in possession of 16 Zimbabwean passports after he had facilitated their fraudulent endorsements at the immigrations offices.

Under South Africa’s immigration laws, Zimbabweans are allowed a stay of not more than 90 days in that country per year.

However, immigration officers at the border are reluctant to give Zimbabweans more days in that country.

This has seen some syndicates exploiting an opportunity to award people 90 days per each single entry, for a fee.