Ghanaian arrested for violating Immigration Act

Michael Mashiri

A Ghanaian who was staying in Zimbabwe without a valid passport has been arraigned before the court following his arrested at the Immigration Headquarters.

He was arrested after Immigration officials realised he had lived in the country for more than 688 days without a valid passport.

Lambert Keshall Dzikunu, 40, who was residing in Masvingo, appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Courts charged with contravening Section 29 (1) of the lmmigration Act, after continuing to stay in Zimbabwe without a valid passport.

The State through, Tariro Gwatidzo, alleges that on, June, 13, 2022, at around 1400 hours, Dzikunu entered Zimbabwe through the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, Harare and was issued with a holiday Visa of 30 days which expired on July, 13 last year.

After the expiry of the holiday Visa, Dzikunu neither regularised his stay nor exit the country.

On April 6 this year, Dzikunu later decided to go Immigration Headquarters in order to regularise his stay and that was when he was subsequently arrested.

He had failed to produce a valid passport which authorised him to stay in the country.

Dzikunu stayed in Zimbabwe for more than 688 days without a valid passport.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Raja Khan, 37, who is from India appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Courts facing the same crime.

On January, 26, 2023, at around 1400 hours, Khan, who works for Recycle Plus Company located at Joina City, entere Zimbabwe through Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and was issued with a Business Visa of 30 days which expired on February 25, 2023.

After the expiry of the business visa, he neither regularised his stay nor exit the country.

On April 6 Khan was arrested at Joina City, Harare, after failing to produce a valid permit authorising him to be in the country.

Khan unlawfully and intentionally stayed in Zimbabwe for 40 days without a valid permit.