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Thupeyo Muleya – Beitbridge Bureau
A Beitbridge magistrate on Thursday jailed for an effective four months two cross-border transporter operators commonly known as Omalayitsha who were arrested while facilitating the illegal migration of seven foreigners from Zimbabwe to South Africa.

Among the immigrants where two Somalis and five Ethiopians who had entered the country illegally and were in transit to the neighbouring country.

Mandlenkosi Mubaiwa (33) and Melusi Msebele (33) both of Bulawayo were convicted for contravening a section of the Immigration Act and violating the National lockdown regulations when they appeared before Mss Varaidzo Gabi.

Immigration officials checking passports at the entrance to the Beitbridge border post recently- Picture by Thupeyo Muleya

They were left with an effective four months to serve after three of the seven months’ jail term were conditionally set aside for five years.

The seven foreigners were also taken to court, where they were warned and cautioned and are now being detained at the local prison pending deportation to their respective countries.

The duo, who were travelling from Bulawayo and heading to South Africa via Beitbridge Border Post in a Toyota Quantum picked up the seven foreigners in Gwanda on Monday evening at around 8pm.

They were intercepted by members of the Police who were manning a roadblock at the 317km peg along Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road near Bangale shops.

During interrogations, it was discovered that the Somalis and Ethiopians had no valid travel documents and had engaged the duo to facilitate their border jumping into South Africa. They were all arrested.

These include; Mahamed Huseen (20), and Kamal Hasan (20) both Somalians and the Ethiopians are Tamrat Doleso (20), Marekos Shugute Badoho (20), Mehew Merekias (22) Elamu Evbalo (22), and Tadere Tadiwar (24).

The Department of Immigration with the assistance of other security agents, have been intercepting Ethiopians, Somalians, Congolese, Eritreans, and citizens of countries north of the Zambezi River during their great trek to south of the Limpopo.