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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
At least 10 foreigners who were contracted to do some work for Zimplats have been fined R2 000 each by a Beitbridge magistrate for extending their stay in Zimbabwe for 30 days with the help of five conman.
The 10 included seven South Africans, two Mozambicans and one Basotho and were all employed by South African company Delmon Mining and Civils (Pvt) Ltd which had been contracted to do some mining work by Zimplats.

Paulos Lehlohonolo (31), Dumse Marambeni (63), Leonard Tembe Fishi (61), Joshua Teboho Hlacwayo (29), Happy Mnisi (38), Lefophane Mpolaene (29) and Duncan Sizani Ndlovu (43) all South Africans, Jose Joachim (49) and Fernando Miguel (50) both Mozambicans and Michael Sinyepa Motaba (44) of Lesotho were all convicted on their own pleas of guilty for overstaying in Zimbabwe by Ms Gloria Takundwa.

The accused persons were sentenced to one month imprisonment each with an option of the fine.
Prosecutor Mr Jabulani Mberesi told the court that on May 18 this year, Lehlohonolo and his accomplices entered Zimbabwe through Beitbridge Border Post where they were allowed to stay in the country for 30 days which expired on June 17.

He said on the following day, acting in connivance with Sibonelo Jerome Khumalo, who is being charged separately, they engaged Shelton Jera, Farai Matowanyika, Albert Hoko, Jones Gery and Khadif Choeni who endorsed a fake immigration date stamp on their passports and fraudulently extended their stay in Zimbabwe up to July 18.

The court further heard that after having illegally extended their stay, the gang remained in Zimbabwe until their arrest on Tuesday last week when they were about to leave the country for South Africa through Beitbridge Border Post.

Mr Mberesi said the fake date stamp was noticed by an alert immigration officer who then alerted the police border control unit.