Ugandan illegal immigrant jailed in Zim

A 27-year-old Ugandan businessman wassentenced to an effective three months jail on Friday for attempting to cross into South Africa illegally through the Beit Bridge Border Post.

Kule Sarapio of Kasese District in Uganda was convicted on his own plea of guilty to contravening a section of the Immigration Act (failure to report to an immigration officer) by a local magistrate, Mrs Auxilia Chiumbura.

The court heard that on 3 June, Sarapio arrived at the Beit Bridge Border Post, intending to cross into South Africa. On presenting his passport to a Zimbabwean immigration officer manning the counter, it was discovered that Sarapio was using an invalid travel document, which he had also used to enter Zimbabwe illegally.

A report was made to the police, leading to his arrest and the subsequent seizure of the travel document.

Of late there has been an increase in the number of foreigners unlawfully entering Zimbabwe and using it as a transit point to South Africa through the Beit Bridge Border Post.

Recently, a group of illegal immigrants comprising a number of Chinese nationals and a Nigerian, was intercepted while attempting to sneak into South Africa. The group had illegally entered the neighbouring country through Harare International Airport.

News - Date: 24 June 2011

Mashudu Netsianda

Mashudu Netsianda is our correspondent in Beit Bridge, Zimbabwe. He joined us in 2006, writing both local and international stories. He had worked for several Zimbabwean publications, as well as the Times of Swaziland. Mashudu received his training at the School of Mass Communication in Harare.

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