Twenty-four Ethiopians who were hauled off a plane at Robert Mugabe International Airport on Monday for lack of proper documentation have been fined and deported back to their country.

The 24 appeared before Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo, who convicted them of contravening the Immigration Act

They were fined US$100 each.

The court heard they were on their way to Eswatini for a pilgrimage.

The State led by prosecutor Mandirasa Chigumira proved that on 17 March 2025 at around 1240 hours, the team arrived at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport aboard Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

"All of them disembarked and evaded immigration formalities. They proceeded to the transit lounge without transit visas and waited for the arrival of Eswatini Airline Flight number RN401 to Manzini, Eswatini.

"On the same date at around 1900 hours, twenty-three of them boarded Eswatini Airline to Manzini, Eswatini.

Immigration then received information to the effect that there were some passengers who had boarded Eswatini airline without transit visas.

"A physical search of the aircraft was conducted by immigration, and it was discovered that all the accused had no transit visas authorizing them to board the flight.

"They were ordered to disembark, and this led to the arrest of the accused persons as they had contravened the immigration laws of the country."