Thirteen Labour and Home Affairs officials have been suspended after an alleged fake-document scheme involving Government stamps, fraudulent permits and identity documents was uncovered.
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
The Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs has uncovered an alleged fake-document syndicate involving Batswana consultants and ministry officials accused of facilitating fraudulent identity documents and permits for foreign nationals.
13 Suspended
Addressing the media this week, Minister of Labour and Home Affairs Pius Mokgware revealed that 13 ministry employees have been implicated and suspended as investigations into the alleged scheme continue.
Stamps Seized
Mokgware said Batswana consultants had been caught allegedly processing fraudulent documents for foreigners, including work permits, identity documents and marriage certificates.
The consultants were reportedly found in possession of different Government stamps and application forms used to process the documents, raising questions about the security of Government documentation and the possible involvement of ministry insiders.
Permit Abuse
Mokgware also revealed cases involving foreign nationals allegedly working in occupations that did not correspond with the permits under which they were employed.
Among those uncovered were foreign nationals found teaching in classrooms despite holding farm-work permits, while some heavy-duty truck drivers were also allegedly using farm-work permits. The Minister said the cases highlighted serious abuses of Botswana’s work-permit system.
Foreign Nationals
According to Mokgware, foreign nationals from countries including Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Malawi and Nigeria are among those caught in possession of allegedly fraudulent documents.
The revelations raise questions about the scale of the alleged operation and whether fraudulent documents were being systematically produced to enable foreign nationals to obtain employment or legal status under false pretences.
Security Tightened
Mokgware said the alleged use of counterfeit work permits, identity documents and marriage certificates posed a serious threat to the integrity of Botswana’s immigration and labour-control systems.
“The involvement of consultants allegedly operating with Government stamps and application forms has also raised concerns about the extent to which fraudulent documentation may have been produced and circulated,” he said.
Mokgware said Government was moving to strengthen the security features of identity and other official documents to prevent their duplication and regeneration. “The measures are intended to make it more difficult for criminals to reproduce legitimate-looking Government documents and exploit weaknesses in the existing system,” he said.