ETHIOPIAN FUGITIVE LINKED TO 400 PASSPORTS THEFT

MBABANE - The theft of 400 passports from the Ministry of Home Affairs has taken a dramatic turn with the revelation that an Ethiopian national arrested in South Africa is wanted in connection with the crime.

Kadebe Shanko Abose, apprehended by the Hawks in Kempton Park, is now the focus of an international investigation that spans both countries. While Abose faces bribery charges in South Africa, Eswatini authorities are seeking his extradition to face prosecution for his alleged role in the large-scale passports theft.

Complex

Abose’s arrest, initially reported by the Hawks earlier this month, revealed a complex web of alleged criminal activity.  He and another Ethiopian national, Firehiwot Koira Assego, were arrested in a sting operation after attempting to bribe an Interpol officer with E40 000 for Abose’s release.

The Hawks’ statement detailed how the officer, having arrested Abose on an extradition warrant related to fraud, theft and corruption in Eswatini, was approached by Assego (Abose’s wife) and Shanko Abose Gezahegna (Abose’s brother) with the intention to bribe.

While the South African case focuses on the bribery attempt, the underlying charges against Abose in Eswatini paint a picture of a much larger scheme.  Eswatini police are investigating the theft of over 400 passports, including diplomatic, service, travel documents and refugee passports from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The investigation, detailed in an affidavit filed by the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Lomvula Hlophe, began in April 2024 with the arrest of a Zimbabwean national, Delight Moyo, found in possession of 10 suspected forged Eswatini passports. 

These passports, upon verification with the Ministry of Home Affairs, were confirmed to be fraudulent and linked to the larger cache of missing documents dating back to 2016. The affidavit reveals a suspected syndicate involving immigration officials who allegedly colluded with foreign nationals.  

“During the investigations, people were interviewed and recorded statements concerning their involvement in the matter. Statements include how the passports were sourced from the government stores up until they were discovered stolen in the ministry. 

“The statements also indicated how the passports were stolen by Immigration officials after receiving money and gave them to a syndicate which then processed the passports and gave these fraudulent passports to undeserving foreign nationals,” the affidavit states. The investigation further suggests that corrupt officials stamped these fraudulent passports, facilitating the passage of foreign nationals through OR Tambo International Airport.

This connection led to cooperation between Eswatini and South African police, resulting in the arrest of several individuals, including Abose, at the airport.Abose’s possession of a diplomatic passport, despite being a foreign national, raised immediate suspicion.  

Passport

“Investigations revealed that there are irregularities on the passport found in possession of the fugitive. The first irregularity is that the suspect was found in possession of a diplomatic passport number 20034156 (book number 6449), which was stolen in November 2023. In ordinary circumstances, a diplomatic passport cannot be issued to a foreign national,” the affidavit explains. 

Further irregularities included his possession of a fraudulent national identity card and the fact that the passport was not issued through the official system and was improperly stamped at the Oshoek Border Gate. The affidavit concludes that there are ‘reasonable grounds for suspecting that the person, one Abose, has committed the offence of fraud, theft and corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act 2006’. 

It further asserts that Abose, through his alleged actions, unlawfully passed through Eswatini to South Africa.
The director of public prosecutions in Eswatini has declared a prima facie case against Abose, stating that evidence directly implicates him in the offences of fraud and theft. 

Witnesses are said to have provided statements detailing Abose’s role in the alleged crimes. While Abose currently faces charges related to bribery in South Africa, Eswatini authorities are seeking his extradition to face prosecution for his alleged involvement in the large-scale passports theft and fraud.

Meanwhile, an assistant Immigration officer, who was allegedly involved in the fraudulent activities in the Ministry of Home Affairs, revealed in court how the operations were conducted. Lungile Mazibuko, who was an accomplice witness, made the revelation when testifying against her colleague, Mboneni Zwane, and Delight Moyo from Zimbabwe. The duo was arrested following fraudulent activities including theft of Eswatini Government passport books, bribery, corruption and fraud. Zwane is also accused of illegal manufacturing of the passports, visas and permits.

Evidence presented by Mazibuko pointed out that the corrupt activities started around 2022. She revealed that she walked in the footsteps of another officer who was transferred to the headquarters. Mazibuko’s evidence further revealed that she worked with Zwane and Moyo who paid her between E500 and 700 per passport, which was brought to stamping in the absence of its owner at the Ngwenya Border Gate, where she was deployed as an Immigration officer.

Transferred

Mazibuko, who was employed by the ministry in 2010, told the court that she was transferred to the Ngwenya Border Gate in 2014. She said in 2022, they were joined by Samukeliso Ndlovu who also served as an Assistant Immigration Officer.

She said their duties included capturing passports into the system, stamping passports, checking the validity of visas and permits and passports expiry dates. She told the court that they also checked if immigrants had not overstayed in Eswatini. She said as they worked with Ndlovu, he told them that he had a friend ‘Haiso’ Nkwanyana who was used to crossing to South Africa.

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