Home Affairs officer who switched passport photos for foreigners sentenced to five years

A former administration clerk at the Department of Home Affairs in Cleary Park, Eastern Cape, has been sentenced to five years direct imprisonment for passport fraud.

“Tony Stout unlawfully and intentionally used the identification details of South African citizens to alter the photos of foreign nationals. He fraudulently provided them with South African passports,” said Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana.

No fine, no firearm

Stout’s sentencing came after he was arrested by the Hawks officers in Gqeberha on 26 March 2021. He appeared in court on the same day of his arrest and was then released on R500 bail.

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According to Mhlakuvana, the sentence had no option for a fine and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm.

“Stout made several court appearances until his sentencing by the Gqeberha New Law court on 8 August 2024 in nine counts of fraud and nine counts of contravention of identification Act 68 of 1997,” said Mhlakuvana.

Syndicate helped foreign nationals get SA passports

In a separate incident on 1 August, former Home Affairs official Judy Zuma was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment following passport fraud by the Durban Commercial Crime Court.

The Department of Home Affairs said Zuma was found to have processed 192 passports between 28 May and 12 June 2021. This was for foreign nationals who did not qualify to have them. She was paid R4 000 for each passport.

She was initially arrested in a “sting operation” after she attempted to bribe a Home Affairs counter–crime officer with R10 000.

ALSO READ: Ex-Home Affairs official sentenced to 12 years for passport fraud

“All the affected passports were red-flagged, meaning that anyone who tries to use these fraudulent documents at a port of entry will be immediately arrested,” said Communications Chief Director Siya Qoza.

Two foreign nationals have already been locked away, serving time for involvement in this corrupt scheme. Another two were sentenced to four years imprisonment today.

It is alleged that Zuma was recruited into this scheme by another former Home Affairs official, Zima Shange, who was sentenced to an effective 10 years imprisonment in October 2023.

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Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber and Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza welcomed the arrest of Zuma, further sending out a clear message to those who partake in such crimes will be arrested.

“I am repulsed by the actions of Zuma and other members of such syndicates, who cheapen our documents, threaten our security, and undermine the work done by committed Home Affairs officials,” said Schreiber.

“This is a call to other people who are involved in this that you might think you are getting away with it, We will definitely get you. We will make sure you suffer the consequences just like Zuma,” said Nzuza.