Malawi Immigration arrests Zimbabwean economist for passport fraud
The Malawi Immigration department in Mzuzu has arrested a Zimbabwean national and his accomplice for attempting to get a Malawian passport fraudulently.
Public Relations officer for the Immigration department in the northern region Comet Jeremiah confirmed the arrest of Nevermind Kufakunesu from the Manicaland provisional city of Mutare and his Malawian ‘fixer’ Gibson Banda.
Ironically, Kufakunesu – an economist -was found with a valid Zimbabwean Passport which will expire on December 16th, 2020.
Jeremiah told Nyasa Times that Kufakunesu went to the immigration office with already filled passport application forms accompanied by Banda.
“On the forms he claimed he was Austin Mandala from Lilongwe and that his brother a Mr. Never Ngozo from Chiputula Township in Mzuzu had signed the affidavit confirming his birth details.
“But immigration officials got suspicious because they were interviewing Kufakunesu in Chichewa but he was replying in English only without any fusion of Chichewa word. When we asked him to take us to his brother’s place he said he did not know the place,” he said.
Jeremiah said Kufakunesu was arrested on the spot and revealed during interrogation that he had lied.
The Immigration department has since charged both Banda and Kufakunesu with trying to obtain or acquire a Malawi passport contrary to section 327 of the Penal Code.
President Joyce Banda has repeatedly pleaded with Malawians not to aid illegal immigrants into the country, saying the continued influx of illegal immigrants poses a threat to the country’s economy, security and even jobs.
“Interestingly I have some passports of people who cannot even utter any single word of Chichewa or any other Malawian language. And they got their passports in Mzuzu. Let’s love Malawi,” she said.
The President said this in Mzuzu during an Interdenominational memorial prayer service for the 20th July 2011 victims held at the Mzuzu stadium on 20th July 2012.
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