JUSTIN ARENSTEIN, Nelspruit | Tuesday 5.40pm.
A KEY Mpumalanga local government department official allegedly admitted she is an illegal immigrant from Swaziland before escaping from police custody on Monday night.
Police prohibited immigrant unit commander, Captain David Chilembe, confirmed on Tuesday that police are searching for the young woman after she gave her police guard “the slip” and disappeared.
Chilembe stressed that the woman, who may not be named until she appears in court, has not been arrested yet and is wanted for further questioning.
“The woman is definitely an illegal immigrant from Swaziland. She told us that she entered South Africa illegally and bribed a Home Affairs official for an identity document,” said Chilembe. “She also confessed that she never had a work permit and lied to get her government job.”
Chilembe said police are following excellent leads and expect to arrest the woman soon on fraud charges.
The woman is one of an estimated 10 civil servants arrested in Mpumalanga over the past year following tip-offs that they are illegal immigrants from Swaziland, Malawi and Zimbabwe, Chilembe added.
Most of the officials appear to have bribed local Home Affairs officials into issuing them with ‘legal’ birth certificates and identity documents. — African Eye News