SA-Based Zimbabwean Sentenced for Fraud After Using Fake Residence Documents to Work as Financial Officer
SA-Based Zimbabwean Sentenced for Fraud After Using Fake Residence Documents to Work as Financial Officer – A Zimbabwean national, Kudakwashe Mpofu, who once served as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the North West Development Corporation (NWDC) in South Africa, has been convicted and sentenced for fraud relating to the use of fake immigration documents.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) welcomed the ruling, describing it as a major breakthrough in the fight against document fraud and corruption.
Mpofu appeared before the Mmabatho Regional Court on 12 November 2025, where he received the following sentences:
Count 1: Three years’ imprisonment, which may be converted to correctional supervision
Count 2: Three years’ imprisonment, fully suspended for five years on condition he does not commit further fraud or corruption offences
According to the SIU, Mpofu used a fraudulent South African Permanent Residence Permit that he admitted purchasing for R3,000 from a private individual unaffiliated with the Department of Home Affairs.
Investigators also uncovered a collection of fake documents in his possession, including a Critical/Exceptional Skills Visa, a Work Permit, and an Exemption Certificate—shockingly dated 1996, when he was only five years old.
These fraudulent documents enabled Mpofu to remain in South Africa after the expiry of his study visa and secure lucrative employment within the NWDC. He reportedly earned R900,000 per year as an Assets Manager before later collecting R1.63 million annually in his role as CFO. Using the same illegal paperwork, Mpofu also obtained a South African driver’s licence and accessed vehicle financing to purchase high-end cars such as a Land Rover Sport, BMW 3 Series, and Ford Ranger.
The case stemmed from a 2023 tip-off to Home Affairs and formed part of a wider SIU investigation—Proclamation 154 of 2024—into large-scale visa and permit fraud. Evidence gathered by the SIU was handed over to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), resulting in the successful prosecution.
Authorities say the conviction reinforces South Africa’s efforts to clamp down on bogus documents, warning that individuals who manipulate the immigration system or abuse influential state positions will face strict consequences.
