THE Zimbabwe correspondent of The New York Times, Jeffrey Moyo, has been fined $200 000 after he was found guilty of violating sections of the Immigration Act after he manufactured fake Press cards for two journalists from the newspaper to operate in the country sometime last year.

Bulawayo magistrate Mr Mark Nzira had sentenced Moyo to two years in prison, but wholly suspended the jail term on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.

Moyo assisted Christina Goldbaum and João Silva acquire Press cards from the Zimbabwe Media Commission, which they used to get visas.

The visas were cancelled three days later after an immigration officer unearthed the scam that saw the two foreign journalists being deported.

Moyo was arrested in Harare with former ZMC registrar Thabang Manhika in May last year.

The pair was jointly charged for contravening the Immigration Act after allegedly producing media accreditation cards for the two foreign journalists without following the correct procedures.

The court heard that immigration officers picked the anomaly, leading to police investigations.

Moyo and Manhika were then taken to court where their trials were separated. Manhika was acquitted of the charges.