- Case involves three Turkish businessmen and officials from the Civil Identification Directorate in Maputo and is still awaiting a court ruling on whether it will proceed to trial
- Defence lawyers submitted their arguments on Thursday, 12 March, contesting the charges
By MOZTIMES
Maputo (MOZTIMES) – The Public Prosecutor’s Office is accusing three Turkish businessmen involved in the scandal over the purchase of Mozambican nationality of paying 300,000 meticais (about US$5,000) to obtain fraudulently civil identification documents granting them Mozambican citizenship.
The case was triggered in 2023 through an investigation by the anti-corruption non-governmental organisation, the Centre for Public Integrity (CIP). Following this, the government set up an inter-ministerial commission of inquiry whose report was submitted to the Public Prosecutor’s Office to open criminal proceedings.
According to information obtained by MOZTIMES, through case file number 138/11/P/GCCC/2023, the Public Prosecutor’s Office is accusing the three Turkish citizens, Devrin Sahutoglu, Semseddini Gaznevi and Hakan Yalçini, of paying 300,000 meticais through an individual identified only as Hamza in order to obtain Mozambican identity cards and passports.
According to the prosecution, the Turkish businessmen counted on the illicit collaboration of co-defendants Hélio Fijamo, the then head of Civil Identification Services at the Civil Identification Directorate (DIC) of Maputo Province, Samira Zélia Sitoe, a senior technician assigned to the Maputo City Civil Identification Service, and Alegria Quive, a civil identification staff member.
The prosecution alleges that Hélio Fijamo, in his capacity as head of the DIC, authorised the issuing of identity cards to Davrin Sahutoglu, Semseddin Gaznevi and Hakan Yalçin without confirming that their records granting Mozambican nationality were genuine.
Already as “Mozambican citizens”, once they held identity cards, the Turkish businessmen applied for national passports from the National Immigration Service (SENAMI), and the requests were approved, despite the fact that the identity cards they submitted had been forged.
The case involving the Turkish citizens is not the only one. Another case involves a Nigerian citizen named Miracle Nncoma Metu, who entered the country on a tourist visa issued on 21 February 2024 and valid until 21 March. However, she managed to obtain a Mozambican identity card. The data capture and payment collection for this card were carried out by Humberto Pateguana, an employee of the National Civil Identification Directorate (DNIC) assigned to the Maputo Provincial Directorate.
Also read: Turkish Businessmen Used Forged Mozambican Passports for about a Year After the Public Denunciation
The Nigerian woman’s identity card receipt was issued on 21 November 2024 and a copy was found on the mobile phone of Diogo General, another DIC worker who is also a defendant in the same case, number 138/11/P/GCCC/2023.
Other defendants
Diogo General is accused of the crime of document forgery, in its aggravated and joint form, for allegedly orchestrating the issuing of false documents, as in the case of Nigerian citizen Miracle Metu. He is also accused of the crime of passive corruption for an illicit act, for allegedly receiving money in exchange for issuing false documents for the acquisition of nationality and identity cards.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has accused another defendant, Humberto Pateguana, of document forgery, in its aggravated and joint form, for carrying out the data capture for the issuance of Miracle Metu’s identity card.
Júlio Ubisse is accused of the same crime as Pateguana for colluding with Diogo General in issuing false documents.
Lemos Matavele Júnior is accused of document forgery, in its aggravated and joint form, for carrying out the data capture of foreign citizens sent by General. He allegedly received payments to process false documents, such as nationality attribution and identity cards. It was not possible to determine the names of the beneficiaries of the documents in question.
Alegria Quive is accused of the crime of document forgery for having assisted Turkish citizen Devrin Sahutoglu in the data capture for the issuance of an identity card using false documents.
Samira Nhari is accused of the crime of document forgery and of assisting the other Turkish citizens, Semseddini Gaznevi and Hakan Yalçini, in the issuing of their respective identity cards.
A preliminary hearing had been scheduled for 3 March, at the Maputo City Law Court, presided over by the judge of the Criminal Instruction Section. CIP, acting as an assistant in the case, was also present, represented by its lawyer. However, the judge instructed the parties to submit their arguments in written form by 12 March.
According to information obtained, all the lawyers submitted their arguments on the scheduled date, contesting the charges brought by the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The judge is expected to issue a decision on whether the case will proceed to trial later this month, possibly by 23 March. The ruling will determine which of the defendants will face trial. The parties may appeal the judge’s decision. (MT)
