Harare (New Ziana) – The Prosecutor-General (PG)’s Office has appealed against the cautioning and discharge of four Cameroonians who were convicted of fraudulently obtaining Zimbabwean passports.
A Beitbridge magistrate cautioned and discharged Christiana Byombe Duma
Ebako, Muya Muya Emile, Tegha Marvel Ngei and Nnam Yvette Kum after they
pleaded guilty to contravening Section 36(1)(a)(iii) of the Immigration Act (Chapter 04:02).
In a post on X, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said the PG has lodged an appeal with the High Court against the sentence given to the four Cameroonians.
“The State is of the considered view that the sentence induces shock and is manifestly lenient and does not meet the justice of the case,” said the NPAZ, adding that the presiding magistrate was cited as the 5th respondent.
Brief facts are that, the Cameroonian quartet was intercepted at the Beitbridge Border Post by Immigration officers who asked them to produce their travel documents.
They produced Zimbabwean passports bearing their first names and photographs yet they are not Zimbabwean citizens and are not entitled to Zimbabwean passports.
Investigations revealed that the accused persons provided false information to obtain the travel documents.
The case led to the subsequent arrest of 12 employees in the Registrar General’s Office in Harare who have since appeared before the courts.
New Ziana