A Ghanaian woman has appeared at the Harare Magistrate’s Court after she reportedly supplied false information to the Registry Office before obtaining a Zimbabwean birth certificate, national identification card and a passport.
Zakia Abdul Ahmed was arrested at Robert Mugabe International Airport while attempting to travel to South Africa, having misrepresented herself as Takudzwa Zakia Mufanachiya.
Ahmed pleaded guilty to fraud charges when she appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi.
The matter was rolled over to 4 October.
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The State represented by Rufaro Chonzi proved that on an unknown date and through unknown port of entry Ahmed who is a Ghanaian national entered Zimbabwe by evasion and remained in Zimbabwe without a valid permit authorizing her to stay in the country.
Ahmed hatched a plan to obtain Zimbabwean identity documents to regularize her stay in the country. On 17 September 2018 accused in connivance with Lyner Mufanachiya who is still at large, went to Mutoko Registry where they supplied false information to the Civil registry Office that the she is a Zimbabwean national by the name Takudzwa Zakia Mufanachiya born on 15 May 2000 in Chimuti Village Chief Chimoyo, Mutoko and her mother is Lyner Mufanachiya born in Mudzi.
Due to this misrepresentation, accused was issued a Zimbabwean Birth Certificate, thereafter on 26 January 2022 accused used the fraudulently acquired birth certificate to obtain a Zimbabwe national identity card.
It is also the State’s case that on 29 January 2024 Ahmed was issued with a Zimbabwean passport also based on the falsified information expiring 28 January 2034.
On 26 September 2024, accused person proceeded to Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and produced the Zimbabwean passport in the name Takudzwa Zakia Mufanachiya during check in.
It is further alleged that during verification of the documents accused failed to express herself in any Zimbabwean Language leading Immigration officials to investigate further. She was interviewed and indicated that she was a Ghanaian national and her real name is Zakia Abdul Ahmed Issah leading to her arrest.
