Foreign national sentenced to six years for ID fraud to secure employment
· The South African
Arlindo Fernando Timane, 44, received a six-year prison sentence for fraud after using someone else’s South African ID to secure a job at a quarry in Kareepoort, Brits.
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North West police spokesperson Colonel Anne Magakoe said Timane worked at the quarry for about six years and earned roughly R900 000 during that period.
The rightful ID holder uncovered the fraud when he approached the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to file his tax returns.
He discovered income linked to an employer he had never worked for and reported the matter to police in Brits.
Fingerprints expose identity fraud
Police launched an investigation and used fingerprint verification from the Department of Home Affairs to confirm that Timane was not the rightful holder of the identity document.
The investigation also established his nationality, leading authorities to charge him with contravening Section 49 of the Immigration Act, Act 13 of 2002.
Investigators from the Bojanala Sub-District 1 Commercial Crime Investigation Unit collected evidence from the quarry’s human resources and finance departments, SARS and the rightful ID holder, whom they traced to Mpumalanga.
The evidence helped the National Prosecuting Authority build a strong case against Timane, which ultimately resulted in his conviction and sentence.
Police warn against fraudulent employment
North West Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Arthur Adams warned people against using fraudulent documents to secure employment or financial benefits.
He said police would not tolerate such conduct and warned that offenders would face the full might of the law.
Adams also praised the investigators and other role players for uncovering the fraud and securing the successful prosecution.