adminLeonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
POLICE in Victoria Falls have arrested a Russian journalist for entering the country disguised as a geography teacher.
Alert detectives at Victoria Falls Border Post intercepted a 32-year-old Daniel Nikolaev from Moscow on Monday and recovered a satellite phone and an international press card for Russian Geographic Society in his name.
Nikolaev, who has been on tour around Africa for the past 18 months, and works for Russia-based National Geographic Station, lied to Immigration officers that he was a geography teacher on an expedition around African countries.
Police moved in after Nikolaev had been cleared by Immigration officers on the Zimbabwean side of the border with Zambia. He was reluctant to have his black Jeep Rubicon vehicle with Russian registration number searched.
Instead, he took out a satellite phone and started talking, probably with his colleagues in Russia, prosecutors say.
Also found in his possession was United Nations military wear comprising a jacket, overall, four caps and a pair of trousers.
Nikolaev lied that he was a UN diplomat when asked about where he got the military wear – but later changed his story and said he got the regalia from his friends who are attached to the UN.
Yesterday, the journalist pleaded guilty to making a statement he knew to be false for the purpose of entering Zimbabwe; possessing a radio transmitter without a licence and unlawful possession of a camouflage when he appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Sharon Rosemani.
Under Zimbabwean law, a satellite cellphone is considered a radio transmitter and Nikolaev should have sought registration before using it.
Rosemani fined him $600 or 18 months in prison for the three offences.
The military wear was forfeited to the State.
Nikolaev told the court he was not aware that possessing camouflage clothing was a crime and that the cellphone was just a ‘walkie-talkie’ he was using to communicate with his father and friends during the tour.
“I was on an expedition, touring African countries for the past one year and six months. I have toured Congo, Cape Town in South Africa, Zambia and now I was in Zimbabwe on my way to other countries,” he told the court.
On why he lied that he was a geography teacher, Nikolaev said: “My English is not good… what I meant was that I teach geography at universities free of charge because I have passion for the subject since I’m an accredited journalist for Russian National Geographic Station.”
He added: “The camouflage is not a proper uniform because it has no badges. I got it from friends in the UN and it’s not worn by soldiers. I was wearing it in Congo and no-one said it was not allowed.”
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derick.khumalo