Passport fraud crackdown:Lawyer demands jail for officials helping foreigners pose as Malawians

• More than 1,000 foreigners apprehended as 45 suspects are linked to attempts to secure Malawian passports through deception

A leading legal expert has demanded tough criminal sanctions against public officials who help foreign nationals fraudulently obtain Malawian passports, warning that insider collusion poses a far greater threat than the applicants themselves.

Benedicto Kondowe said the latest revelations from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services expose serious weaknesses in identity verification systems, institutional coordination and internal controls, creating opportunities for abuse of Malawi’s citizenship and travel document processes.

Kondowe argued that any public officer found knowingly facilitating fraudulent passport applications should face prosecution, dismissal from public service and other disciplinary measures.

“The greatest concern is not only the foreign nationals attempting to obtain passports unlawfully, but the possibility of insiders enabling the process,” he said, stressing that stronger accountability mechanisms were urgently needed.

His remarks come after immigration authorities revealed that 45 foreign nationals are suspected of attempting to fraudulently acquire Malawian passports, while more than 1,000 foreigners have been apprehended in a sweeping enforcement operation conducted between October 2025 and September 2026.

The department also rejected 1,752 visa applications and deported 223 individuals during the period as part of an intensified crackdown on immigration-related offences.

Immigration spokesperson Pasqually Zulu said the department was responding aggressively to growing concerns over document fraud and unlawful migration.

“Among those apprehended are 45 foreign nationals suspected of attempting to fraudulently acquire Malawian passports, an offence that undermines the integrity of the country’s national identification and travel document systems,” Zulu said.

In what authorities describe as evidence of the growing challenge, two foreign nationals were convicted in Blantyre last week after attempting to obtain Malawian passports through fraudulent means.

The pair, Yasin Chenda Moses, a Zambian national, and Bornlose Onasimbo Ntinkha, a Tanzanian national, are now awaiting deportation following their convictions.

Kondowe said the cases should serve as a warning that passport fraud is not a victimless crime.

He argued that the illegal acquisition of citizenship documents has serious implications for national security, border management and public trust in state institutions.

“The integrity of national identity documents is fundamental to state security. Any weakness in the system can be exploited by criminal networks and must be treated as a matter of national importance,” he said.

Meanwhile, immigration authorities are investigating a separate application submitted under the name Alice Banda, after questions emerged over the authenticity of information used during the national identity registration process.

Officials from Immigration and the National Registration Bureau are verifying the applicant’s nationality claims and examining whether any individuals attempted to improperly influence the processing of the application.

According to preliminary findings, the applicant underwent document verification for passport processing on November 5, 2026, but the application was rejected at the interview stage a day later.

It was subsequently rejected again during an audit review, meaning no passport was issued.

Zulu said the department was strengthening document verification systems, tightening screening procedures and conducting more rigorous interviews for passport applicants while working closely with the National Registration Bureau to cross-check identity details and nationality claims.

“The department reiterates its commitment to transparency, accountability, professionalism and the enforcement of immigration laws. It will not tolerate fraudulent practices, abuse of immigration procedures or any attempts to compromise the integrity of national travel documents,” he said.

The revelations have intensified calls for tougher safeguards, with legal experts warning that unless officials who facilitate fraud are identified and punished, attempts by foreigners to infiltrate Malawi’s passport system will continue to threaten the credibility of the country’s most important identity documents.

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