Govt busts fake permits syndicate

 Three arrested

Immigration Department spokesperson Mbaraka Batenga displays � at a press briefing in Dar es Salaam yesterday � forged residence permits and receipts (Photo: Devota Mwachang�a)

The Immigration Department has apprehended three persons claimed to belong to a syndicate engaged in the manufacture of various government and private firm documents including stamps and residence permits worth millions of money.

The Department’s spokesperson, Mbaraka Batenga said that when the suspects were arrested they were found in possession of 14 Class “B” residence permits worth USD28, 700 with a street value of 46m/-.

Batenga released the names of the suspects as Benetty Mtatiro Itang’are, Benedicto Rweikiza alias ‘Mr Masuti’ and January Mutembei who were arrested nearby their office at Mkwepu and Simu Streets in Dar es Salaam.

“We paid an unofficial visit to their office and found them in possession of the residence permits, more than 100 receipts and 56 forged rubber stamps of various government and private institutions.

The forged rubber stamps, he said, were of government municipalities, banks, the government emblem, Immigration Department, Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), CRDB Bank and the Traffic Police Department among others.

The suspects were also found with birth and death certificates, plain and unnumbered ERVs. National Insurance stickers and Comesa yellow cards.
Others documents they were found in possession of include church, mosque and hospital stamps.

The fraudulent conduct, Batenga said, has been costing the government a big loss in terms of revenue.
He called upon Tanzanians to avoid using shortcuts to access legal documents through unscrupulous middlemen and instead follow the required channels and procedures.

He also warned employers who employ foreigners to also observe the law by following legal procedures in acquiring relevant and legal work or residence permits for their workers instead of embarking on fraudulent middlemen.

Batenga further urged persons who have acquired residence permits from such people either knowingly or unknowingly to surrender them to the Immigration Department for verification.

He asserted that if the documents will be proven illegitimate they would be required to apply for new ones.

Nevertheless, he said, the Immigration Department is looking for a possibility of installing an online system which will enable persons with residence permit to personally verify their documents without having to visit the department.

Last year the Immigration Department modified residence permits by adding security features so that they would not be easily forged, a move that has helped to minimise the number of illegal documents, he said.

“We believe that the network dealing with the issuing of illegal permits and the like is wide thus the investigation is still in progress, meanwhile those who have been arrested will be brought before the court today,” he said.

Last year the Immigration Department ordered all foreign nationals holding Class A, B and C residence permits to submit them to regional or district immigration offices for replacement.

It did not specify the reasons for the mandatory replacement, although the purpose might have been to identify fraudulently issued residence permits. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN