Harare, (New Ziana) – Twenty-four foreigners from Malawi and Burundi have been fined US$30 each for illegally entering the country.
The foreigners comprising, 20 Malawians and four Burundians, were separately convicted by the Beitbridge Magistrates Court after they were picked up by the police while loitering around Beitbridge Border Post without proper documentation according to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ).
The NPAZ said police officers on patrol around the border post came across the group of 20 Malawians on November 17. The police officers established their nationality after interviewing them. The group members failed to produce valid documentation allowing them to be in Zimbabwe, leading to their subsequent arrest.
They were each fined US$30 fine or face 13 days imprisonment, in default of payment. In similar fashion, Augustine Nsengiyumva (27), Alexis Nzambimana Alexis (34), Vincent Ndikumana (31) and Vincent Nduwimana (31) from Burundi were also fined US$30 or alternatively spend 13 days in prison by the same court for contravening the Immigration Act. Nsengiyumwa, Nzambimana, Alexis and Vincent Nduwimana were intercepted by police officers who were on patrol around the Beitbridge Border Post.
They were interviewed and it was established that they were from Burundi.
They failed to produce documentation allowing them to be in Zimbabwe, leading to their subsequent arrest.
Meanwhile, Stanford Tapiwa Marongwe (21) from Gweru will spend an effective 10 months behind bars for mobile money fraud involving more than US$2 000. Marongwa was initially sentenced to 36 months imprisonment by the Gweru Magistrates’ Court on three counts of fraud. The court conditionally suspended 8 months for five years and the remaining 18 months on condition he compensates his victims US$2 300.
The NPAZ said on September 21 this year, Marongwe went to a mobile money outlet where the complainant is a cashier, intending to withdraw US$450.
He requested for a calculator and the complainant handed over her smart phone. Marongwe saved his phone number with the contact name +263164USD in the complainant’s cellphone and sent a “please call me” message to his number and gave the complainant’s cellphone back.
He created a text message purporting that he had made a cash out transaction of US$450-00 and sent the text message to the complainant’s mobile number.
The complainant, acting upon the accused person’s misrepresentation, gave Marongwe US$450 and he left the shop. The complainant discovered the offence while reconciling her books later that evening.
Marongwe defrauded two more complainants of US$850 and US$1 000 respectively, using the same method.
New Ziana
