Immigration officers sacked in visa probe involving Nigerian nationals

TWO non-citizens working at the Australian High Commission in South Africa have reportedly been sacked amid allegations Nigerian nationals paid bribes for visas.

TWO officials at an Australia embassy in South Africa have reportedly been sacked amid a probe into allegations Nigerian nationals paid bribes for visas.

The Herald Sun reports at least 21 Nigerians received Australian student visas which a high-level investigation said were “tainted by the corrupt conduct of the department officers”.

The paper said the Department for Home Affairs had confirmed two non-citizens working at the Australian High Commission in South Africa had been sacked.

The alleged scam involved criminals paying corrupt officials for Australian visas for Nigerian nationals.

Officials were accused of bypassing mandatory checks and granting visas within days to people deemed by Australia as high-risk.

The 21 visas were processed between February and April last year, according to a recent Administrative Appeals Tribunal document.

They were “identified by the department as being tainted by the corrupt conduct of the department officers,” the AAT decision read.

Originally published as Immigration officers sacked in visa probe involving Nigerian nationals