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Zimbabwe: Immigration Officials in Refugee Scam
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 Published by the government of Zimbabwe |
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The Herald (Harare)
14 July 2008
Posted to the web 14 July 2008
Peter Matambanadzo
Harare
SCORES of Nigerians and other Africans from the Great Lakes region have been smuggled into Zimbabwe without proper documentation in what appears to be a well-orchestrated scam involving some corrupt immigration officials.
Chief Immigration Officer Mr Clemence Masango said in an interview most of the foreigners were smuggled into the country as refugees with the assistance of corrupt immigration and security officials.
"We are aware of this scam and strongly suspect that it is a well-organised human trafficking syndicate.
"There is also reason to suspect that our own people, especially at the entry points, are involved in this collusion," Mr Masango said.
He said the foreigners were mostly from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Burundi, Somalia, Eritrea, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mr Masango said two weeks ago, a group of 60 immigrants from Somalia illegally entered Zimbabwe without travel documents and surrendered themselves to police.
"We suspect they deliberately hide their travel documents and identity cards and use them when it's convenient for them," he said.
He said most of the smuggled people usually stay in Zimbabwe or proceed to other countries, particularly South Africa.
Mr Masango, however, expressed confidence that his department would work flat out to curb illegal migration.
"We have made headway and put in place measures to curb human trafficking. We have in a way managed to dismantle the network," Mr Masango said.
These illegal immigrants also pose a security threat to Zimbabwe as some of them come from trouble spots on the continent.
Mr Masango warned that human smuggling was a serious offence, which attracted a long jail term.
Police are keen to interview the suspected ringleader of the syndicate who runs a shop that sells electrical gadgets in Harare.
The suspect (name supplied) is reported to have been facilitating the illegal entry of scores of Nigerians into the country from whom he would later extort money.
According to one of the victims (name with
held), the man works in cahoots with officials at the Immigration Department who facilitate the production of fake travel documents.
The victim alleged that foreigners smuggled into the country are made to pay as much as US$5 000 for the documents, which they are given when they leave a hideout.
They are then allegedly instructed to pay the bribes in instalments while those who resist are threatened with deportation.
The suspect, who lives in Greendale, is believed to own three safe houses where he allegedly keeps the smuggled people.
He is also said to be running another syndicate with court officials to facilitate marriages for the foreigners with Zimbabweans, which he uses to secure resident permits for the smuggled people.
Some of the women allegedly used for the marriages of convenience are believed to be his girlfriends.
It is also believed that once these smuggled people have settled down in the country, he makes it impossible for them to live normal lives since he demands monthly payments for their safety.
A number of cases involving foreigners found to have entered into more than one marriage are being dealt with at the Harare Magistrates' Courts while several others are under investigation.
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Human trafficking is a cause for concern in the Southern African region as it has been linked to other vices such as drug trafficking and prostitution rings.
This is the first serious article published by this paper after all the rubbish it churns out.
Herald is always like that . Do you read the back page of the paper the sport.(the only resone I read Herald)
Oh no don't say..corruption amongst the officials in immigration and security forces. I knew Mugabe no longer ran the country.
we do exactly Know that Zimbabweans help Somali refugees. 1000 somali refugees are in Tanzanian jails. many are in Botsuwana jails. others are in Angola jails. but the Zimbabweans help somali refugees. at least they do not arrest them qaasim Somalia
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