adminSukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Immigration Department has deported two Democratic Republic of Congo nationals who illegally entered into the country through the Victoria Falls border post.Ogutu Stephen, who presented himself as a reformed homosexual hoping to start a new life in Zimbabwe, approached the IOM centre in Plumtree on Monday last week requesting a place to stay.
His compatriot, Mna Koroa Mosengo was arrested by Plumtree police while roaming the streets of the border town on Tuesday. The pair was presented to the Immigration Department which learnt that they did not possess any travel documents.
They appeared in court before Plumtree magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa where Stephen was ordered to pay $100 or spend 20 days in prison in case of default.
Mosengo could not be charged as he could not speak English.
Stephen said he and his compatriot illegally went through Victoria Falls aboard a truck.
“We came through the Victoria Falls border. We came hidden in the back of a truck which was coming from Zambia. I and my compatriot went our separate ways after we got to Plumtree.
“I came here hoping to start afresh. I am a reformed homosexual and my wish is to permanently leave the life I have been living. It is difficult for me to go home because I will be forced to go back to my old life again,” he said.
Regional Immigration Officer in charge of the Western Region, Regies Munyaradzi, said the two DRC nationals had been referred to Harare where they had been deported.
“It appears these two DRC nationals came into the country hidden at the back of a truck as they did not have passports. One of them approached the IOM office which handed him over to us.
“He stated that he was seeking asylum but we realised that he had already committed an offence by entering the country without a passport. The other could not speak English so we referred him to Harare as well as his compatriot for their deportation,” he said.
Of late, there has been an increase in immigrants from Pakistan, Ethiopia, DRC, and Somalia who enter the country illegally and try to skip the border to South Africa and Botswana.
These are reportedly entering the country through Harare International Airport, Nyamapanda, Chirundu and Forbes border posts with the assistance of human trafficking syndicates operating in both South Africa and Zimbabwe.
A fortnight ago the Department of Immigration intercepted 18 Pakistan nationals who were en route to South Africa illegally.
It is understood that there is not much synchronisation of the movement control system at the country’s ports of entry which could help reduce irregular migration.
Online Reporter