Bangladesh family deported after 8 years

Plumtree Correspondent
A BANGLADESH national has been deported together with his two children after illegally staying in the country for eight years using forged documents stating that he was born in Harare. Iqbal Kabir Bhuyana, 45, obtained a fake Zimbabwean identity document and passport in 2006 as well as fake birth certificates and passports for his two children that he used to travel between Zimbabwe, Botswana, Bangladesh and South Africa for the past eight years.

Bhuyana was arrested at Plumtree Border Post on Friday while trying to cross into Botswana using his fake passport.
He appeared before Plumtree magistrate Livard Philemon and was fined $100.
The magistrate also ordered his deportation.

Bhuyana entered Zimbabwe using a visitor’s visa in 1999 and later obtained permits which allowed him and his family to remain in the country until 2006.
When the permit expired he applied for an extension to stay in Zimbabwe, but when his request was turned down he resorted to the use of fraudulent documents.

Prosecuting, Elisha Mazorodze said Bhuyana was arrested on October 24 around 10PM following a tip off.
“Bhuyana presented himself to an immigration officer intending to exit the country but the official alerted security officers who apprehended him,” said Mazorodze.

“The forged documents in Bhuyana’s possession stated that he was born in Harare when he was born in Bangladesh. He also used false documents to purchase a house at number 416 Matilda Road, Waterfalls in Harare where he was living with his family.”

The court heard that Bhuyana also used the fake documents he had obtained to secure residence in South Africa.
In mitigation, he said he resorted to forging the documents after his permit could not be renewed.

“I was directed to leave but I didn’t want to and I applied for my permit to be extended but my request was dismissed. I then decided to acquire these fake documents as I wanted to carry out several business activities in Zimbabwe. I came to the country for purposes of investing,” he said.

Bhuyana was ordered to pay $100 fine or spend 30 days in prison in case of default.
He paid the fine and was surrendered to immigration officials together with his family for deportation.