News / Regional
Smuggling border jumpers lands umalayitsha in jail
05 Sep 2013 at 05:13hrs | Views
A 35-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo cross-border driver commonly known as umalayitsha has been sentenced to an effective 12 months in jail for trying to assist 10 border jumpers to illegally cross into South Africa through Beitbridge Border Post.
Oscar Dube of House Number 17 Barbourfields suburb in Bulawayo was convicted on his own plea of guilty to contravening a section of the Immigration Act by Beitbridge provincial magistrate Ms Gwineth Drawo on Monday.
Dube was sentenced to two years in jail of which 12 months were conditionally suspended for three years.
The prosecutor, Mr Jabulani Mberesi, said on 27 August, Dube arrived at Beitbridge Border Post driving a South Africa registered Toyota Quantum, which was towing a trailer.
The court was told that soon after completing immigration and customs formalities, Dube proceeded to the exit gate carrying 10 undocumented people.
On being cleared by the New Limpopo Bridge (NLB) Company official manning the boom gate, Dube was then ordered to stop by police who were patrolling the border and he did not.
They then followed him to the South African side where they intercepted him. On searching the vehicle, police discovered that the passengers did not have travel documents.
On being interrogated, the 10 people told police that they each paid Dube R1 500 on the understanding that he would help them cross the border without passports.
Dube was arrested while his passengers were each fined $20.
Oscar Dube of House Number 17 Barbourfields suburb in Bulawayo was convicted on his own plea of guilty to contravening a section of the Immigration Act by Beitbridge provincial magistrate Ms Gwineth Drawo on Monday.
Dube was sentenced to two years in jail of which 12 months were conditionally suspended for three years.
The prosecutor, Mr Jabulani Mberesi, said on 27 August, Dube arrived at Beitbridge Border Post driving a South Africa registered Toyota Quantum, which was towing a trailer.
The court was told that soon after completing immigration and customs formalities, Dube proceeded to the exit gate carrying 10 undocumented people.
On being cleared by the New Limpopo Bridge (NLB) Company official manning the boom gate, Dube was then ordered to stop by police who were patrolling the border and he did not.
They then followed him to the South African side where they intercepted him. On searching the vehicle, police discovered that the passengers did not have travel documents.
On being interrogated, the 10 people told police that they each paid Dube R1 500 on the understanding that he would help them cross the border without passports.
Dube was arrested while his passengers were each fined $20.
Source - chronicle
