By A Correspondent | ZimEye | London, UK– Tatenda Zhoya, a self-styled immigration consultant at the center of a growing scandal involving fake Certificates of Sponsorship (COS) in the UK, has invoked the name of disgraced businessman Dennis Mawadzi as he faces charges of producing counterfeit immigration documents.
Zhoya, who is currently under investigation for supplying fake COS papers, mentioned Mawadzi during a phone conversation on Wednesday with the Zimbabwean news outlet ZimEye. Mawadzi was recently exposed by a Sky News investigation for duping over 600 job seekers through fraudulent COS charges.
In the conversation, Zhoya expressed his reliance on Mawadzi’s legal actions to prevent the publication of news exposing his own role in the scandal. “I am talking to D… who has sued you,” Zhoya stated, referring to Mawadzi, in what appeared to be a desperate attempt to leverage Mawadzi’s situation to protect himself from further exposure.
The scandal initially came to light in July, when Zhoya, who falsely claims to be an immigration lawyer, was implicated in the supply of at least two fake COS documents, which are essential for obtaining work permits or visas in the UK.
When approached by ZimEye, a visibly anxious Zhoya did not deny his involvement in issuing the fake documentation. In an attempt to shift blame, Zhoya claimed, “I was told by my employer that the COS is fake.” However, the company involved, whose name has been withheld, denied his claims, stating unequivocally that they do not use agents like Zhoya and that legitimate job seekers receive their papers directly from the company.
Under pressure, Zhoya’s narrative began to fall apart. Initially, he claimed he had received the COS from an agent named Becky but could not provide her surname. Eventually, Zhoya admitted to printing the fake documents himself, a clear effort to cover up his wrongdoing.
Zhoya’s invocation of Mawadzi’s name adds a new layer to the ongoing investigation, linking two key figures in what is shaping up to be one of the UK’s most significant immigration fraud cases in recent years. With both Zhoya and Mawadzi under intense scrutiny, authorities are expected to escalate their investigations as the full scope of the scandal continues to emerge.
The case has caused widespread concern, especially among the victims, many of whom have lost significant amounts of money and now face uncertain futures due to the fake documents. As the investigation progresses, more revelations are expected, deepening the impact of this fraudulent scheme.