In this modern world, academic and professional documents have become the essential papers that people need in their day to day lives for them to attain a standard basic living. Amid poverty ravaging people’s lives, the demand for essential documentation skyrocketed, leading to an enormous increase of fraudsters involved in the illegal business of producing fake documentation within the SADC region. The expansion of unlawful bogus documentation business has reached an alarming level that needs urgent legal action.
The production of fake academic and professional papers has affected the educational and employment sector severely as companies are recruiting incompetent employees. They acquired their academic and professional qualifications illegally without even setting foot at high school or any tertiary institution. With the high rate of unemployment, people who worked hard to get their qualifications are disadvantaged as they are failing to secure employment while the unskilled swindlers enjoy the fruits of their illicit deeds.
It is a convenient time for employers to cross-check the authenticity of their employee’s qualifications and to put in place stringent penalties to culprits proven guilty. Business for the fraudsters is booming as they charge a fortune to desperate clients who hunt for academic and professional qualifications; they never worked for to secure jobs within and beyond their country’s borders.
Private and public institutions, local and international companies should resort to certificates audit system that allows detection of forged documents and trace the origin of those fraudulent documents and castigate the criminals. Despite being desperate people must not resort to the illegal route of acquiring documentation as they will be caught and face the full wrath of the law.
In the SADC region, several public officials were implicated in fake qualifications scandals. These include a senior member of the African National Congress (ANC) and former MP Pallo Jordan, South Africa’s ambassador to Japan, Mohau Pheko and former first lady of Zimbabwe Grace Mugabe.
These fake documents manufacturers have also indulged in producing false identity and travel documents within and beyond borders. Law enforcement agents should introduce more punitive measures in dealing with bogus documentation manufacturers and criminals involved in buying counterfeit documents for their selfish personal interests. Legal action should be enforced, and organisations should go an extra mile in assessing academic and professional qualifications and avoid falling victim to dodgy culprits.
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