Luanda – Angola’s Criminal Investigation Service on Tuesday detained the director of migratory acts of the Migration and Foreigners Service (SME), Maria Emília Ladeira Pinto Cassule, on suspicion of criminal association, falsification of documents, undue receipt of advantage and active corruption of a public official.

According to a press release, the arrest is based on the existence of strong indications of her involvement in a fraudulent scheme to issue passports, residence cards, temporary stay visas, work visas, among other migratory acts in exchange for large sums of money.

The source clarifies that this arrest is the result of a thorough criminal investigation, around a criminal process, which has been ongoing since 2023, which was triggered, through several complaints, about irregularities in the acquisition of this type of documents, especially for foreign citizens.

 It points out that once all the formalities have been completed, the detainee will be presented to the Public Prosecutions Office soon for further procedural procedures.  ART/DOJ