American footballers arrested for overstaying in Zimbabwe

TWO American footballers attached to Bulawayo club, Bantu Rovers, have been arrested for overstaying in the country.

Gregory Joseph Klarura, 25, and Michael Rose, 24, who came into Zimbabwe on January 18, this year to play for the club were arrested in Victoria Falls where they had gone for bungee jumping on Africa Day.

The two United States citizens were charged on Tuesday under the Immigration Act and are expected to be deported in due course.

Victoria Falls resident magistrate Sharon Rosemani fined Klazura $70 while Rose was fined $100.

Prosecuting, Listen Nare said Klazura and Rose landed at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport on January 18, and were given permission to stay in Zimbabwe for 30 days.

They were supposed to renew their stay after every 30 days but they failed to do so until their arrest on Sunday. The arrest came after Klazura and Rose had visited Victoria Falls Border and attempted to have their travel documents stamped but immigration officials noticed that they had overstayed.

The two are still being held in Victoria Falls pending their deportation.

Klazura told the court that he is a medical degree holder.

"I graduated with a medical degree and I played for my university team, while professionally I play for Vancouver Whitecaps in America.

"I will be starting a medical school in Illinois in September and I came to Zimbabwe to play for Bantu Rovers since we have a link with Methembe Ndlovu," said Klazura.

His colleague Rose, a mechanical engineering graduate said he had lost his passport and had miscalculated his period of staying in the country and had thought that his visa would expire in July.