NATIONAL NEWS - The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), in collaboration with the Border Management Authority (BMA), have arrested two immigration specialists amid an ongoing corruption probe.
According to an article published by The Witness, the commissioner of the BMA, Dr Michael Masiapato, applauded the arrest of two immigration specialists at Beitbridge Port of Entry, which connects Zimbabwe and South Africa, by the Hawks last night.
The arrests follow an ongoing investigation linked to the case of immigration specialist Dorah Ncube, who was arrested last year for fraud and corruption related to the illegal processing of six Malawian nationals at Beitbridge.
Ncube remains in police custody.
The arrested officials appeared in the Musina Magistrate’s Court this morning.
Masiapato reiterated the BMA’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption and its commitment to upholding the integrity of South Africa’s border management systems.
“We continue to fully co-operate with law enforcement agencies in their investigations to ensure that those involved in the corrupt activities are held accountable.
“The BMA will not tolerate any misconduct that undermines the rule of law and the security of the country.
“We assure the public that decisive action will be taken against any official found to be involved in unethical practices,” Masiapato says.
The BMA was featured in an expose done by Carte Blanche highlighting suspicious activities on illegal processing of travellers. Although the two arrests are not related to the expose, the BMA continues to curb corruption within its systems.
Currently, the BMA is processing 45 cases that are still to be concluded with transgressions including aiding and abetting, as well as illegal processing of travellers and goods.
About 27 officials have been dismissed since the BMA’s inception on 1 April 2023.
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