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Herald Reporter
Israeli national Arthur Chen, who was arrested last week for staying in the country illegally, is awaiting deportation after being fined for violating the country’s immigration laws.

Chen (42) was slapped with a $200 fine by Harare magistrate Ms Viola Gurure, who ordered that he be handed over to the Immigration Department soon after depositing the money with the clerk of court.

According to the State outline, Chen visited the Department of Immigration offices at Linquenda House in Harare on January 22 where he produced his Israeli passport number 3040925 hoping to secure a residence permit.

Officials at the department noticed that Chen had previously been deported from Zimbabwe and had been declared a prohibited immigrant, leading to his arrest.

The complainant in this case was Mr Godfrey Kondo of the Department of Immigration.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Chen, whose address was given in court as 23 Beverage Road, Avondale, was also working illegally for Vastraft Gold Mine in Shurugwi owned by his compatriot, Zohar Pablo, who also runs the upmarket Pabloz Nightclub in Borrowdale.

Chen was also convicted of illegally staying in the country in September 2014 after which he was deported.

He, however, managed to re-enter the country and continued working for the mine.

But Vastraft Mine chief executive designate Mr Martin Hakunavanhu denied that Chen was working for his company.

“He was not working for the company,” he said in an interview.

“He was staying here on a visitor’s visa.”