The Department of Immigration has uncovered a document fraud syndicate involving over 370 passports of different countries and other documents.
According to a statement made available to ZANIS today by the Department of Immigration Chief Public Relations Officer, Namati Nshinka, seven suspects have been apprehended and detained while 372 passports have been seized.
Among the seven apprehended suspects are three Zambians, three Burundi nationals and one suspected Congolese.
Mr Nshinka pointed out that Zambian nationals include a 35-year-old Assistant Registration Officer based at the Ndola Passport Office and Augustine Phiri aged 31, both linked to the supply of passports and forged identity documents.
He said these were apprehended in Ndola on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
He further stated that the department is actively pursuing at least one more individual in connection with a suspected human smuggling syndicate operating under the guise of travel facilitation.
“The operation is believed to involve the production and use of fraudulent identity and travel documents to secure visas and facilitate the illegal movement of individuals, including Zambians and foreign nationals, to various international destinations,” Mr Nshinka added.
He explained that the investigations were triggered by a formal report regarding some suspicious documents submitted to one foreign embassy in Lusaka by a 40-year-old Burundian refugee, Jean-Claude Sibomana, on behalf of a Zambian national.
“Acting swiftly on the report, Immigration Officers apprehended Sibomana on Friday, August 1, 2025, shortly after his visit to the said embassy. He was found in possession of a Zambian National Registration Card and a Zambian Passport in the name of Oscar Musonda, raising immediate concerns about the genuineness and source of these documents,” he added.
Mr Nshinka noted that the sheer volume and diversity of the recovered passports point to a well-coordinated transnational network that may have been facilitating human smuggling, irregular migration, and visa fraud on a significant scale.
He explained that preliminary findings suggest that the syndicate was involved in processing and supplying forged documents to facilitate the acquisition of visas for individuals traveling abroad.
“The documents ranged from national passports and refugee cards to academic transcripts and institutional stamps, many of which were used in visa applications or to establish false identities,” he explained.
Mr Nshinka also said owing to the diversity of potential offences, the Department of Immigration has incorporated other security wings into the investigations.
“We remain resolute in dismantling criminal networks that undermine internal security through fraudulent immigration practices. We also wish to call upon members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious immigration-related activities to the nearest Immigration Office,” Mr Nshinka said.
The syndicate osbover 30 yrs.
The syndicate is over 30 yrs.
The reason they don’t want you in USA.A lot of Congolese and other countries have Zambian passport just to use for transit. Most of these immigration guys should be fired.They are the ones selling these documents to foreigners.Zambian NRC and passport has become a useless cheap document you buy at salaula market
@Musonda, someone voted your comment down, must be a useless person. Too many Congolese in USA with Zambian Passport and this happening for over 30 yrs. Likely must have started during KK government.
Why did this have to happen at a time when the US raised concerns on the same matter? The diplomat was accused of being malicious. The same way the medicines and medical supply fraud was laid bare is how immigration anomalies have been uncovered. If someone has been right twice or three times, they deserve your trust.
He also revealed the pollution on the copperbelt. And sent our information minister into panic land
I know of an Indian who got investor’s visa with fake documentation and in fact hasn’t even invested $50,000.00 whereas the legal mandate is $250,000.00
He created fake company, got fake importation documents to obtain his permit.
How can I report?
Noone will investigate. Zambia is too corrupt. From president to citizen, inspector General to constable, Speaker to ballot supervisor,
Surely there must be some vigilance or anti-fraud team?
we are not serious country, the immigration dept is one of the most usesless, corrupt depts in the country. if you have been to bostwana or namibia…you cant move without the immigration people asking for your travel documents. not in this country…this country has no standards.
We all must remember that things do not solve themselves.
Where can I report an immigration fraud so that it’s genuinely investigated?
Where are Bembas and Easterners in Zambian government? Chalo chashani ichi? Nangu ni tribalism nifi? Bushe mulamona kwati abanenu fipuba balisekelamo? Pembeleni.
I honestly hoped that HH would work to fix the problem of corruption in these government departments, but apparentry he has not done anything significant. Still so much corruption in the Ministry of lands, Home Affairs, Health and what not. Ending corruption in government institutions is pretty easy. Just stiffen the penalties for people engaging in corruption. Anyone helping people obtain false documents should be sent to prison for not less that 15 to 20 years behind bars. HH and UPND, you guys need to wake up and be serious about fighting corruption in the government insititutions.
@THE PATRIOT, this is where HH, among other things, has failed dismally. That number provided is useless. Go to passport office to apply for a passport today, the first thing they give you are their personal cell phone numbers. The place is gloomy and reeks of big time corruption. So called files everywhere, why has this information not been digitilised up to now?
It should be mandatory to acquire your child’s birth certificate 30 days after the child’s birth with a unique personal ID number. This helps in reducing the risk of foreigners acquiring Zambian passports.
Zambians have really jumped from the flames into more flames.
Why are things that should be functioning normally in a Christian nation failing?
Christian nation, NOT!
Who is responsible for city council land? How can the council allocate for homes, land meant for parks. This is in Ndola where I used to live near the swimming pool in the 90s. I went there and got a shock!
HH has managed to reduce carderism. He deserves praise for that. He has failed on all other matrix. He deserves condemnation for that.
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