A Zimbabwean national and a Motswana man were last week convicted of conniving to provide false information to an immigration officer with the intent of acquiring a Botswana passport.
Zimbabwe national Precious Magama, together with one Bonani Mabele Madzete, are said to have made a false statement to the Immigration Office with the intent of procuring a passport for one of the accused men.
The two’s relationship dates as far back as 1992, as Magama used to assist Madzete’s uncle to fix his buses.
Madzete then decided to assist Magama to stay in the country legally as he had been an illegal immigrant.
In August 2007, Madzete, as a Botswana citizen, decided to assist Magama by providing the Francistown Immigration Office with an application for a passport bearing his own personal details and Magama’s photo.
The passport was then issued in the same month, bearing Magama’s photo but with Madzete’s personal details. Magama would then use the passport for the first time on the 1st of November 2009, only to be arrested on November 6th.
“In supplying false information to the Immigration Office, and then ultimately being issued with a passport, both made an untrue statement to a government officer. In supplying the photo and the details respectively, they acted together in common purpose, both with the knowledge that their statements were untrue,” said state prosecutor Careb Mbenda.
The passport was displayed as evidence in court and both the accused pleaded guilty to the charge.
The first accused is represented by Morgan Moseki while the second accused is represented by Morris Ndawana.
Magistrate Pride Rusike convicted both of them, and sentence is to be passed on November 24th. The two were allegedly arrested with the help of the Department of Intelligent and Security, DISS.
