Court Dismisses Border Jumping Charges Against Tendai Biti's Aides

Karoi magistrate, Sam Chitumwa has cleared MDC vice-president Tendai Biti’s three aides who were being accused of border jumping. Biti’s lawyer Nqobizitha Mahole Mlilo and his two aides, Clever Rambanepasi and Tawanda Blessing Chitekwe, had been on trial on charges of failing to present themselves to an immigration official as defined in the Immigration Act.

Chitumwa on Friday, however, found Mlilo, Rambanepasi, and Chitekwe not guilty noting that the state did not present compelling evidence against the trio. Mlilo, Rambanepasi and Chitekwe were arrested together with Biti and charged on August 8, 2018, for failing to present themselves to the immigration authorities both on the Zimbabwean and Zambian borders.

The trio denied the charge arguing that asylum seekers are not expected to present themselves to the immigration officers.