adminAmanda Ncube, Sunday News Reporter
TWO men from Eritrea who entered Zimbabwe via Zambia without permits were intercepted and arraigned before the courts after they were found hiding in a house in Bulawayo’s Iminyela suburb last week.
The court could however, not proceed as the two accused persons could not understand English or any of the local languages.
The duo of Negas Afeweroi (49) and Nugus Araya (38) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya charged with contravening section 29 (1) (a) of the Immigration Act Chapter 04:02 of 1996 as read with section 29 (2) (a) — enter, be or remain in the country without a permit.
The two were not asked to plead and were remanded in custody to 3 February 2017 after the court failed to proceed as neither of the two understands English and the interpreters could neither speak their language. The State’s case as presented by prosecutor, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo is that from 15 to 18 January 2017 the duo entered Zimbabwe from Eritrea via Zambia through Victoria Falls.
The prosecutor further told the court that the detectives from Minerals and Border Control Unit received a tip off that the two accused persons were in Bulawayo at house number 59920/2 Iminyela. The court heard that acting on a tip off, the detectives proceeded to the aforementioned house and they found the owner of the house and they conducted a search.
It was the State’s case that the accused persons were found in one of the rooms and were asked to produce their travel documents or permit that allowed them to be in the country and they failed to produce any. The two accused persons were then arrested.
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