Photos: Nigerian doctor charged with corruption in South Africa

A Nigerian doctor named Anthony Nwafor, has been accused of corruption and illegal immigration by the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa. Nwafor, a family physician was arrested two weeks ago with 14 of his family’s passports. The department of Home affairs in its report said Nwafor was arrested for unlawfully being in possession of those passports which were South African and Nigerian and had tried to bribe an officer investigating him with 50,000 rand.

Nwafor's wife, Amara, who is a practicing pharmacist, was initially arrested alongside her husband, but was later released as charges against her were dropped while her Nigerian passport is yet to be released.

Amara Nwafor has condemned the allegations against her husband,
“I see what is going on here as xenophobic prosecution and I also see it as white collar xenophobia,” she said. Nwafor subsequently appeared at a bail hearing in Limpopo province over charges level against him.

In cross-examining, the prosecuting counsel questioned the different spelling of the doctor’s name on his documents seized and prayed the court not to grant him bail, stressing that the court was not sure who it was releasing.

Nwafor’s legal representative believed that the errors in the spelling of his client’s name by the department should not cost him a denied bail, insisting that his identity cannot be questioned in a country where he studied and has practiced for 14 years. The presiding judge adjourned the case and asked for more time to study the arguments of both parties and the evidences presented to him.