Brides-for-cash scam uncovered

Source: Herald Live, 22/02/2017

Although similar schemes exist countrywide, the Port Elizabeth
operation â€" which has been running for at least two years â€" came to
light after immigration officials were tipped off.


Most of the women in the city who accept the offers do so in the hope
of a better life.


But many of the arranged marriages end in a divorce once the foreign
national acquires a relative’s permit or citizenship.
The suspected recruiters for Port Elizabeth’s “brides-for-cash”
operation â€" Nomabandla Mangezi, 35, and her Bangladeshi husband, Abu
Bokar, 43 â€" appeared in the magistrate’s court yesterday where their
case was postponed to next week.


The pair, of North End, allegedly recruited young women from New
Brighton, Kwazakhele and Zwide and paid them between R200 and R300
each to marry a Bangladeshi national.


Other people were unaware that they were married.
Department of Home Affairs Eastern Cape manager Gcinile Mabulu
confirmed that immigration officers had acted after four women came
forward late last year claiming they had discovered they were married
to strangers.


Police spokeswoman Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg confirmed the
arrest on Friday of Mangezi and Bokar.


She said immigration authorities, who had a search, seizure and
removal warrant, had first gone to the flat the pair shared in North
End, which led them to a salon in New Brighton and then a cellphone
shop in North End.


“Two people [Mangezi and Bokar] were arrested and charged through the
Department of Home Affairs for aiding and abetting illegal foreigners
[among other charges],” she said.


An official close to the investigation, who did not want to be named,
said they were aware, so far, of about 20 women from the Port
Elizabeth area who had married for money and promises of a better
life.


He said Bokar and Mangezi worked from a cellphone shop in Govan Mbeki
Avenue near the Pier 14 shopping complex and had been fraudulently
married since 2007.


Immigration officials had been alerted to the alleged syndicate after
a woman who had been recruited came forward.
“A lady came forward with information which led investigators to
uncover some documents found to be illegal,” the source said.


“On further investigation the officers were led to a container in New
Brighton with more documents [and], following up on further
information, they were led to a shop in North End near Pier
14.”


He said Mangezi was arrested in New Brighton where a lot of documents
were seized.


“They [Bangladeshi nationals] want to live permanently in the
country,” the source said.


Mabulu confirmed that a number of Home Affairs documents had also been
found at the premises linked to the couple.


“This has been happening since around 2015,” the source said.
Janse van Rensburg said the case was still under investigation.


Two Bangladeshi men at the cellphone store in Govan Mbeki Avenue were
reluctant to answer questions yesterday.


The younger of the two men, both of whom did not want to be named,
said the shop had been opened about seven years ago and was owned by
Bokar. They were reluctant to answer further questions about Bokar,
with the older man cutting off his colleague and saying: “We don’t
know anything, we just work here. You have to ask the owner.”
Magistrate Sanjani Naidoo said yesterday Bokar and Mangezi would
remain in custody while profile and status determination reports were
completed.


The case was postponed to Tuesday for a formal bail
application.


The two face charges including contravening the Immigration Act by
aiding and abetting foreign nationals while arranging unlawful
marriages to South African citizens.


According to the charge sheet, Mangezi, who appeared in court wearing
a Springbok rugby jersey, is also charged with contravening the
Immigration Act by recruiting South Africans to enter into marriages
with foreign nationals.


Bokar faces additional charges of entering into marriage fraudulently
with a South African to obtain a relative’s permit and then
contravening the provisions of that permit. â€" Additional reporting
Tremaine van Aardt