South African police have arrested a local priest for conducting at least 600 fake marriages between foreigners seeking South African nationality and unsuspecting local women, a police statement said on Tuesday.
Hendrik Uys Jansen (39) who was also a registered marriage officer, conducted ”at least 600 fake marriages” since 2003, at his home in Pretoria, the statement said.
”We have reason to believe that Jansen is part of a syndicate operating countrywide,” the police said.
”This arrest follows several other recent arrests nationwide as part of the ongoing investigations into these syndicates,” it added.
Jansen has been remanded in custody and is expected to appear in court next Tuesday.
South Africa has been rocked by recent reports that more than 3 000 women have, unbeknown to them, been married to foreigners in a scam involving corrupt home affairs officials helping men from Africa, Asia and Latin America stay in the country.
Flooded by complaints from women who find out they have tied the knot without consent, the government launched a campaign last month to encourage local women to check their marital status and report missing identity documents immediately.
The nationwide campaign, complete with television ads and posters, is advising South African women to visit their local home affairs office where a special desk has been set up to handle the status checks.
A total of 3 387 complaints have been filed since 2001 by women who have been married to foreign nationals from Nigeria, Egypt, Pakistan, China, India and Brazil who allegedly paid about R5 000 (670 euros) for a marriage certificate that gives them residency rights. – Sapa-AFP