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10 Somali nationals jailed for illegal stay
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Ten Somali nationals have been convicted and sentenced to three months in prison for allegedly entering and remaining in Zimbabwe without valid immigration documents.
Hwange Provincial Magistrate Bentone Matope suspended the sentences for five years on condition that the accused do not commit a similar offence during that period.
The 10 adults will remain in custody pending deportation, while charges against two juveniles, aged 14 and 17, were withdrawn before plea.
The juveniles will remain under the care of the Superintendent of Rose of Charity Child Protection Organisation pending repatriation and further management.
The 12 were arrested on October 3 after detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department in Hwange intercepted an Extra City bus travelling from Victoria Falls towards Bulawayo.
The bus, registration number AGL 7275, was stopped at around 10pm at the Cinderella railway crossing along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway following a tip-off that suspected foreign nationals were on board.
According to the State, detectives searched the bus and found the 12 passengers, who allegedly identified themselves as Somali nationals travelling to Bulawayo en route to South Africa.
The State alleged that the group did not possess travel documents, permits or visitors' entry certificates authorising them to be in Zimbabwe.
The 10 adults pleaded guilty to contravening Section 29(1), as read with Section 29(2)(a) of the Immigration Act (Chapter 4:02), which prohibits foreign nationals from entering, remaining in or departing from Zimbabwe without the required permits or visitors' entry certificates.
The group initially appeared before Matope on October 5 and was remanded to October 19 to allow for the availability of a Somali interpreter.
Matope presided over the latest proceedings, with Pride Mharadza representing the State. The complainant was an immigration officer stationed at the Department of Immigration in Victoria Falls.
Hwange Provincial Magistrate Bentone Matope suspended the sentences for five years on condition that the accused do not commit a similar offence during that period.
The 10 adults will remain in custody pending deportation, while charges against two juveniles, aged 14 and 17, were withdrawn before plea.
The juveniles will remain under the care of the Superintendent of Rose of Charity Child Protection Organisation pending repatriation and further management.
The 12 were arrested on October 3 after detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department in Hwange intercepted an Extra City bus travelling from Victoria Falls towards Bulawayo.
According to the State, detectives searched the bus and found the 12 passengers, who allegedly identified themselves as Somali nationals travelling to Bulawayo en route to South Africa.
The State alleged that the group did not possess travel documents, permits or visitors' entry certificates authorising them to be in Zimbabwe.
The 10 adults pleaded guilty to contravening Section 29(1), as read with Section 29(2)(a) of the Immigration Act (Chapter 4:02), which prohibits foreign nationals from entering, remaining in or departing from Zimbabwe without the required permits or visitors' entry certificates.
The group initially appeared before Matope on October 5 and was remanded to October 19 to allow for the availability of a Somali interpreter.
Matope presided over the latest proceedings, with Pride Mharadza representing the State. The complainant was an immigration officer stationed at the Department of Immigration in Victoria Falls.
Source - The Chronicle
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