PIET RETIEF – Sam Msuseni Ntuli (59) was found guilty and sentenced by the Piet Retief Regional Court on Wednesday 12 August 2020 for Fraud.
Between the period of 30 July 2015 to 04 June 2016 Ntuli was an employee of the Department of Home Affairs at Mahamba Port of entry in Mpumalanga. Ntuli was employed as an Immigration Officer responsible for detecting signs and traces in travel documents to establish migration violation and other illegal activities.
Despite the responsibilities vested upon Ntuli he fraudulently stamped a passport of Mr Elvis Muzi Mpanza a Swati Citizen without him being physically present at the Port of entry which allowed Mr Mpanza to stay in the Republic of South Africa.
Investigation within the Department of Home Affairs by Counter Corruption team was initiated following allegations about the illegal activities piloted by Ntuli. During internal investigation Ntuli was caught red handed with the stamped passport while the owner was not present. Disciplinary hearing within the Department of Home Affairs was conducted and led to the dismissal of Ntuli from the service. The criminal case was opened and the matter was referred to the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation Mpumalanga and the accused was summoned to appear before court on the 18 February 2020 pending the sentence which was handed down on the 12 August 2020. Ntuli was sentenced to four months imprisonment or R6 000.00 fine.
