TWO ARRESTED WITH 400 BLANK NATIONAL ID CARDS

TWO men recently appeared at Chitungwiza Magistrates Court after they were found in possession of 400 blank national identity cards, fake local and international drivers licences, fake Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) identity cards and blank birth certificates which they were selling in Harare and Chitungwiza.

Tendekai Madongorere and Julius Punungwe appeared before magistrate Sheunesu Matova charged with 131 counts of fraud. They were both not asked to plead to the charges and were remanded in custody to August 23.

This was after the State opposed the granting of bail saying the two were likely to abscond trial.

In denying the duo bail, the court noted that Madongorere had a similar pending case at Marondera Magistrates Court, which could induce him to evade trial.

The court also noted that there was overwhelming evidence against the duo as they were arrested while they had the fake documents in their possession.

It is alleged that on June 9 this year, police arrested Madongorere in central Harare and found him with three blank international driver’s licences, birth record forms, five fake defensive driver’s licences and a ZACC identity card in his name.

The State alleges that Madongorere then led detectives to his residence in Waterfalls where police recovered five fake CIO ID cards, two Covid-19 essential services staff IDs and eight Zanu PF car stickers written “ZANU PF 2021”.

It is said police also recovered 50 fake driver’s certificates of competence, title deeds of stand number 67 Msasa Avenue, Mufakose, three fake Cambridge examinations certificates and blank birth certificates.

Madongorere was also allegedly found in possession of a fake Advanced Level certificate in his name.

He was also allegedly found with serialised fake Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) Temporary Import Permit certificates and 29 counterfeit blank birth records. Further searches also revealed that Madongorere had five colour printers for both paper and metal.

He had desktop computer, 400 blank plastic IDs, three fake diploma certificates and several other counterfeit company documents. Upon further interviews, Madongorere implicated Punungwe, who was arrested in Chitungwiza.

Punungwe was found with 58 fake metal driver’s licence discs with various names, 50 fake certificates of competence and two fake national IDs. Herald

Posted in: NEWS