Two Arrested Over National ID Forgery Scheme In Bulawayo
Two suspects were arrested on Friday for allegedly masterminding a national identity card fraud and forgery scheme at the Umguza Civil Registry Department, located in the Tredgold Building in Bulawayo.
The suspects, Brian Veririzhe and Thamsanqa Moyo, were apprehended by officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and are expected to appear in court soon.
CID spokesperson Detective Inspector Rachel Muteweri confirmed the arrests on Monday, April 14. She said:
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has arrested Brian Veririzhe of Stand 3 Wellington Road, Montrose, Bulawayo, and Thamsanqa Moyo of House Number 63 Derby Road, Bellevue, Bulawayo, for fraud and forgery following a case involving the attempted replacement of an identity document.
Muteweri said that on January 3, 2025, a woman named Buhle Sibanda visited the Tredgold Civil Registry office to replace her lost national identity card. While there, she was approached by the two suspects, who offered to help her obtain a duplicate. She added:
Following their agreement, Brian Veririzhe captured Buhle Sibanda’s passport-sized photograph using his mobile phone and forwarded it to Thamsanqa Moyo, who printed a counterfeit copy of the national identity document using his computer.
Muteweri said that after creating a fake national ID, the suspects tried to submit it at the Umguza District Civil Registry office.
Veririzhe pretended to be a government employee from the Companies, Deeds and Intellectual Property Office in Bulawayo. He introduced Buhle Sibanda as his relative who needed a replacement ID.
However, a sharp-eyed registry officer noticed something was off with the document and flagged it as fake. Veririzhe and Thamsanqa Moyo were arrested on April 10, 2025, and are now awaiting trial.
Further investigations revealed that Veririzhe actually works for Dokma Private Limited, a company hired to help digitise records for the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage.
Although the fake ID looked real, it raised suspicion because the photo showed Sibanda wearing the same clothes and makeup she had on the day she applied—despite her claim that the ID was a duplicate of one issued back in 2019.
Sibanda, who was born in 1995, listed her home as being under Chief Tshabanda in Tsholotsho District. But when officials checked, they found that no such chief exists.
Under questioning, Sibanda later admitted that the photo was taken just outside the Tredgold Building earlier that day. She also revealed that Veririzhe charged her US$30 for helping her get the fake ID.
Police are now asking the public for help in finding Buhle Sibanda, who is still on the run.
More: Chronicle
