 Eugene Madzima got himself a job in the Home Office using fake papers. Related Articles UK tightens visa identity checks for Zimbabweans Britain's asylum rules come under scrutiny in human rights case
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21 January 2008
By Never Kadungure
A Zimbabwean man who had fake I.D papers managed to get a job within the UK Immigration Tribunal Service and worked there for nearly a year.
Eugene Madzima managed to con officials into giving him the job of handling immigration claims, asylum applications and other training programmes..
Judge Simon Hammond jailed the 24 year old Madzima from Leciester for one year on fraud charges. The judge said the case, 'beggars belief'. Madzima was only caught after trying to open a bank account with HSBC bank in the UK.
He was fired from his job last month. The incident has added more embarrasment for Gordon Browns government. Only recently an illegal immigrant was caught working at the Home Office's own front desk. Another is said to have got a job guarding the Prime Minister's limo.
Friends of Madzima who spoke to Nehanda Radio said last year he held a lavish wedding in Leicester where even his work colleagues from the UK Home Office attended.
In the court hearing Madzima told the judge he bought the fake passport for £1000 from a London lawyer who dealt with his asylum application in 2002. That year Madzima and his mother left Zimbabwe to seek asylum in the UK. His mother's claim was refused and she went back to Zimbabwe under a voluntary return scheme. No decision was ever made on Madzima's claim and its thought to be among 450 000 forgotten 'legacy' cases at the Home Office.
Another Zimbabwean in the news over fake papers? Does this mask a bigger problem of people being thrown into desperate situations? Join the debate in our forums today and share your views.
Nehanda Radio: Zimbabwe's first 24 hour internet radio news channel.