A man accused of using impersonators to take his driving theory and practical examinations has admitted his offences, with prosecutors warning his case represents just “the tip of the iceberg” of widespread test fraud.
Gulrahman Ahmadzai, 33, from Yardley, arranged for stand-ins, known as “ringers”, to sit his driving tests at centres in Stoke-on-Trent and Canterbury, Kent. Suspicion was first raised on 30 September 2024 at the Stoke-on-Trent test centre when staff questioned the identity of a candidate, noting discrepancies between the photograph provided and the person attending.
The impersonator told staff he was a builder working locally, but was unable to specify his place of work. When confronted about the photo mismatch, he claimed the image was outdated. This led to the candidate being barred from taking the theory test.
READ MORE: Walsall Council to Transform Former Ambulance Depot into SEND Facility
READ MORE: Birmingham Actor ‘Whole Again’ After Lucky Coin Restored on BBC’s The Repair Shop
Despite being prevented from sitting the theory test in Stoke-on-Trent, Ahmadzai made a subsequent attempt on 16 December 2024 at Canterbury, where the impersonator successfully passed. He then proceeded to schedule practical driving tests on 29 December 2025 and 12 January 2026, both of which he passed under dubious circumstances.
Prosecutor Anton Balkitis from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) highlighted the scale of the issue, stating, “There has been a massive rise in cheating by way of identity fraud and what you will see in court is just the tip of the iceberg.”
When informed of the DVSA’s investigation, Ahmadzai instructed a solicitor from Wembley who expressed he was “shocked and appalled” by the allegations that Ahmadzai did not personally pass the tests. However, Ahmadzai eventually returned the driving licence, seeking to close the matter. The prosecution emphasised that repeat offenders often face legal consequences.
At Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Monday, 7 September, Ahmadzai pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying an article for fraud (provisional licence cards) and two counts of fraud by false representation.
Defence lawyer Ian Vesey confirmed that Ahmadzai acknowledged his understanding of the charges against him. Ahmadzai is currently awaiting a pre-sentence report and is due to be sentenced on 16 November.