A Bulawayo magistrate has ordered that 20 Ugandan nationals
and a minor who were arreste
d on Saturday along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls
highway after illegally entering the country should be deported.
The group included
a pregnant woman and a mother with a baby.
The 20 Ugandans were identified as Thomson Barisigara (30),
Martin Katerega (28), Elizabethy Kisembo (48) Abdul Katumba (44), Habiibu
Kiggundu (36), Hamuza Asiimwe (27), Hassan Kagaba (38), Rasul Dalausi (26),
George Willy Ochom (26), Shafic Senyange (22), Kasango Umar (27), Adam Kagaba
(47), Nakitende Peninah (29), Magezi Gaddafi (38), Alex Kiganda (25), Ramazan
Masereka (23), Mugerwa Sulaiman (29), Opio Peter (26), Muzimba Solomon
Ssemakula (26) and Kato Derrick Kimera (29).
The 20 appeared before Bulawayo provincial magistrate
Tinashe Tashaya facing a charge of contravening the immigration Act. they were
sentenced to three months imprisonment each, which was wholly suspended on
condition that they do not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
Mr Tashaya ordered that the illegal immigrants be handed
over to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) so that they could
be deported back to their country.
In his ruling he said he took into consideration the plight
of Africans and their quest to seek better living conditions. He said a
non-custodial sentence would help them to sort out their lives.
Mr Tashaya said he also considered that they were first
offenders. He urged the public to be wary of con persons masquerading as
immigration officials at the country’s borders. “This court takes cognisance of
people in transit particularly here in Africa.
As the court, we endeavour to protect all persons in
transit. The accused persons are therefore sentenced to three months
imprisonment wholly suspended on the condition that they do not commit a
similar offence in the next five years,” said Mr Tashaya.
The immigrants had pleaded for a non-custodial sentence
through their lawyers, Mr Nqobani Sithole and Jabulani Mhlanga of Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights. The lawyers said the Ugandans had adhered to all
immigration laws between Uganda and Zambia and erred after falling prey to a
fraudster who promised to assist them to travel to South Africa without the
required papers.
For the state, Mr Denmark Chihombe said police in Bulawayo
on Saturday received information that there were Ugandan nationals who had
boarded a kombi that plies the Bulawayo Victoria Falls highway without valid
travelling documents.
“Acting on the tip off police officers proceeded to the
Nyamandlovu tollgate where they intercepted the
illegal immigrants,” said Mr Chihombe. Chronicle
0 comments:
Post a Comment