News / Local
Border corruption accused challenges her suspension
04 Nov 2021 at 02:17hrs | Views
A PLUMTREE-BASED immigration officer who allegedly facilitated the illegal exit of 17 travellers into Botswana in return for a US$425 kickback has approached the High Court challenging her suspension.
Ms Marian Boka, a principal immigration officer at Plumtree Border Post allegedly stamped passports of 17 people who were travelling in a bus from Harare to Botswana.
She was suspended by her superiors pending a disciplinary hearing.
Currently all inland ports of entry are closed to the general public except permit holders as part of Covid-19 regulations.
Ms Boka through her lawyers Mutatu, Masamvu and Da Silva Gustavo Law Chambers filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Kazembe Kazembe and the assistant regional immigration officer in charge of Plumtree Border Post, Mr Blessing Marwa, as defendants.
According to court papers, on June 12 this year, Ms Boka used her official date stamp to endorse passports of 17 travellers who had no permits to exit the country via Plumtree Border Post in violation of Covid-19 regulations.
She demanded US$25 from each of the passengers.
In her plaintiff declaration, Ms Boka said she was forced into admitting the alleged offence by her superiors amid threats.
"Notwithstanding the report stating that I am innocent, the first defendant (Mr Marwa) declined to accept my version of the story. I was forced to admit that I endorsed 17 passports of the people who intended travelling to Botswana under duress," she said.
Ms Boka said Mr Marwa forced her to write a report admitting that she committed the crime.
"Upon receiving my initial denial, the first defendant threatened to report the matter to the police. This instilled fear on me since I was afraid of being detained in police custody, I ended up confessing something that I didn't do," she said.
"The first defendant's threat was unconstitutional as it violated my labour rights."
She however, argued that on that particular day she was off duty. Ms Boka said someone could have tampered with the locking system of her drawer during her absence and used her stamp to endorse the passports.
"Pursuant to the first defendant's duress or undue influence, I was forced to write a letter confessing that I endorsed the passports. I was not involved in that crime and the confessions were prejudicial to me as I was subsequently suspended from work for misconduct," she said.
Ms Boka wants an order nullifying her report and be declared null and void.
She also wants the document to be expunged from the records with the defendants paying the legal costs in the event that they oppose her application.
The defendants are yet to respond.
Ms Marian Boka, a principal immigration officer at Plumtree Border Post allegedly stamped passports of 17 people who were travelling in a bus from Harare to Botswana.
She was suspended by her superiors pending a disciplinary hearing.
Currently all inland ports of entry are closed to the general public except permit holders as part of Covid-19 regulations.
Ms Boka through her lawyers Mutatu, Masamvu and Da Silva Gustavo Law Chambers filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Kazembe Kazembe and the assistant regional immigration officer in charge of Plumtree Border Post, Mr Blessing Marwa, as defendants.
According to court papers, on June 12 this year, Ms Boka used her official date stamp to endorse passports of 17 travellers who had no permits to exit the country via Plumtree Border Post in violation of Covid-19 regulations.
She demanded US$25 from each of the passengers.
In her plaintiff declaration, Ms Boka said she was forced into admitting the alleged offence by her superiors amid threats.
"Notwithstanding the report stating that I am innocent, the first defendant (Mr Marwa) declined to accept my version of the story. I was forced to admit that I endorsed 17 passports of the people who intended travelling to Botswana under duress," she said.
Ms Boka said Mr Marwa forced her to write a report admitting that she committed the crime.
"Upon receiving my initial denial, the first defendant threatened to report the matter to the police. This instilled fear on me since I was afraid of being detained in police custody, I ended up confessing something that I didn't do," she said.
"The first defendant's threat was unconstitutional as it violated my labour rights."
She however, argued that on that particular day she was off duty. Ms Boka said someone could have tampered with the locking system of her drawer during her absence and used her stamp to endorse the passports.
"Pursuant to the first defendant's duress or undue influence, I was forced to write a letter confessing that I endorsed the passports. I was not involved in that crime and the confessions were prejudicial to me as I was subsequently suspended from work for misconduct," she said.
Ms Boka wants an order nullifying her report and be declared null and void.
She also wants the document to be expunged from the records with the defendants paying the legal costs in the event that they oppose her application.
The defendants are yet to respond.
Source - The Chronicle
