Church secretary claims she was deceived in illegal immigration plot
A former church secretary at New Life Vineyard Church in Rundu, implicated in an immigration fraud case, claims she was unaware that issuing a baptism certificate to a controversial Zimbabwean national could land her in prison.Paula Elizabeth Moses (26), who is accused alongside seven others in an alleged immigration fraud scheme, was granted bail of N$4 000 on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the alleged mastermind of the scheme, Simon Takudzwa, a Zimbabwean national, remains in custody due to his alleged illegal re-entry into Namibia after being deported in 2023.
Speaking to Namibian Sun yesterday, Moses insisted she was unknowingly drawn into the scheme.
“I didn’t know they planned to use the document to apply for Namibian citizenship. No one told me that. I was shocked when I was called to the police station. When I arrived, they said, ‘It’s not just you. The principal, the headman, and the pastor are also involved.’ Then they asked, ‘Do you know why you are here?’ and I told them I had no idea,” she said.
“They told me, ‘You are the one who gave this foreigner the paper and claimed he was from your church.’ But I told them, ‘No, he is not from our church. His girlfriend, Precita Ndara, is the one who attends, not him.’”Moses maintained she was unaware the document would be used fraudulently.
“Ndara [25], the girlfriend of that foreigner, is a church member. She joined in 2021 after leaving the Catholic Church. One day, she told me she wanted to be a member of our congregation. We spent a lot of time together, and now she is the girlfriend of that foreigner. She never told me the document was for him,” she said. Unwitting accomplices
Also speaking to Namibian Sun, Ndara also distanced herself from any fraudulent activity, insisting she was unaware of Takudzwa’s intentions.
“I belong to that church, and he also wanted to join. But his main reason was to get a baptism card. I took him there for baptism, not knowing the card would be used fraudulently. I had no idea about their plan,” she said.
The accused appeared before magistrate Sonia Samupofu in the Rundu Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. The case was postponed to 4 June for further investigations.
Illegal residency
In addition to Ndara and Moses, the other individuals facing charges in connection to the alleged scheme are Euginia Nehepo Hausiku (57), acting principal at Sikanduko; Petrus Kativa Divingi (76), headman of Sauyemwa East; Isack Tjikunga (67), pastor of New Life Vineyard Church; Maria Haikera (45), who allegedly posed as Takudzwa’s mother; and Johannes Hasheela (48), who allegedly posed as Takudzwa’s father.
They face charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, making false representations, possession of forged documents and aiding and abetting illegal residency.
Court documents allege that on 24 February, the accused conspired to commit fraud at the immigration ministry’s office in Rundu. They reportedly presented Takudzwa as a Namibian citizen to an immigration officer, leading to the wrongful issuance of a Namibian birth certificate.
Takudzwa also faces an additional charge for allegedly re-entering Namibia illegally after a previous deportation.
In 2023, he was arrested for failing to report to immigration officials upon entry. He was found guilty of violating the Immigration Control Act and sentenced to either a N$2 000 fine or four months in prison before being deported. Despite this, he allegedly re-entered Namibia without authorisation.
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Speaking to Namibian Sun yesterday, Moses insisted she was unknowingly drawn into the scheme.
“I didn’t know they planned to use the document to apply for Namibian citizenship. No one told me that. I was shocked when I was called to the police station. When I arrived, they said, ‘It’s not just you. The principal, the headman, and the pastor are also involved.’ Then they asked, ‘Do you know why you are here?’ and I told them I had no idea,” she said.
“They told me, ‘You are the one who gave this foreigner the paper and claimed he was from your church.’ But I told them, ‘No, he is not from our church. His girlfriend, Precita Ndara, is the one who attends, not him.’”Moses maintained she was unaware the document would be used fraudulently.
“Ndara [25], the girlfriend of that foreigner, is a church member. She joined in 2021 after leaving the Catholic Church. One day, she told me she wanted to be a member of our congregation. We spent a lot of time together, and now she is the girlfriend of that foreigner. She never told me the document was for him,” she said. Unwitting accomplices
Also speaking to Namibian Sun, Ndara also distanced herself from any fraudulent activity, insisting she was unaware of Takudzwa’s intentions.
“I belong to that church, and he also wanted to join. But his main reason was to get a baptism card. I took him there for baptism, not knowing the card would be used fraudulently. I had no idea about their plan,” she said.
The accused appeared before magistrate Sonia Samupofu in the Rundu Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. The case was postponed to 4 June for further investigations.
Illegal residency
In addition to Ndara and Moses, the other individuals facing charges in connection to the alleged scheme are Euginia Nehepo Hausiku (57), acting principal at Sikanduko; Petrus Kativa Divingi (76), headman of Sauyemwa East; Isack Tjikunga (67), pastor of New Life Vineyard Church; Maria Haikera (45), who allegedly posed as Takudzwa’s mother; and Johannes Hasheela (48), who allegedly posed as Takudzwa’s father.
They face charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, making false representations, possession of forged documents and aiding and abetting illegal residency.
Court documents allege that on 24 February, the accused conspired to commit fraud at the immigration ministry’s office in Rundu. They reportedly presented Takudzwa as a Namibian citizen to an immigration officer, leading to the wrongful issuance of a Namibian birth certificate.
Takudzwa also faces an additional charge for allegedly re-entering Namibia illegally after a previous deportation.
In 2023, he was arrested for failing to report to immigration officials upon entry. He was found guilty of violating the Immigration Control Act and sentenced to either a N$2 000 fine or four months in prison before being deported. Despite this, he allegedly re-entered Namibia without authorisation.
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