Immigration officers among suspects as applicants fleeced of up to K600,000 by ‘dobadobas’

Malawi’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services has confirmed that investigations into a widespread passport fraud scheme involving middlemen and, disturbingly, officers within its own ranks are now at an advanced stage, with several suspects already in police custody.

Department spokesperson Pasqually Zulu revealed the immigration service is deeply concerned by mounting reports of passport applicants being defrauded of staggering sums of money, with some victims reportedly paying as much as K300,000, while others have handed over more than K600,000 in the scam.

Corrupt officers allegedly working hand-in-hand with fraudsters

In a damning admission, Zulu confirmed the department is convinced that some of those involved in the malpractice are working directly with officers embedded within the immigration system itself — a revelation likely to intensify public concern over corruption within the very institution responsible for issuing travel documents.

Suspects linked to “doba-dobas” and social media already arrested

Zulu confirmed that a number of suspects, including so-called “doba-dobas” and individuals linked to various social media platforms allegedly used to facilitate the scheme, have already been taken into custody, with investigations continuing as authorities work to identify and prosecute everyone involved in the racket.

Public warned: pay ONLY at official processing centres

In a stark warning to the public, Zulu reminded applicants that all legitimate passport payments must be made exclusively within Immigration Department premises at official passport processing centres, cautioning that anyone found participating in the fraudulent scheme — whether as a middleman, applicant, or complicit officer — will face the full force of the law.

The crackdown marks a significant escalation in efforts to root out corruption within Malawi’s passport application system, with authorities now racing to bring those responsible to justice as the scale of the fraud, and the potential involvement of insiders, continues to come into sharper focus.