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Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
TWENTY-FOUR Ethiopians were yesterday fined US$100 each for violating Zimbabwe’s immigration laws.
The group, led by 25-year-old Bekeret Kebede Sorato, pleaded guilty to charges of failing to present themselves to immigration officials at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
The prosecution, represented by Mrs Mandirasa Chigumira, recounted the events of March 17, when the group arrived at the airport at around 12.40pm aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa.
Upon landing, the group disembarked but chose to bypass necessary immigration formalities.
Instead of obtaining the required transit visas, they proceeded directly to the transit lounge, awaiting Eswatini Airline Flight RN401 bound for Manzini, Eswatini.
Around 7pm that day, 24 members of the group boarded the Eswatini Airline flight.
However, immigration authorities were alerted to the situation and inspected the aircraft.
During the search, it was revealed that all individuals on board did not have appropriate transit visas, leading to their immediate disembarkation and subsequent arrest.
In court, the defence attorneys argued for leniency, describing their clients as peaceful individuals merely seeking to attend a church programme led by a religious leader.
The court ultimately imposed fines on the Ethiopians, pending deportation for failure to adhere to immigration protocols.
Online Reporter