By Geraldine Zaranyika
A teacher at Mandressa Islamic School, who was arrested at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport for possessing a fake passport recently, was on Monday convicted and fined $500.
Failure to pay will earn Twaibu Sabili (46) a two months jail term.
Sabili pleaded guilty to contravening Section 36(1)(a)(ii) as read with Section 36(1)(i) of the Immigration Act Chapter 4:02, which speaks to possession of or use of a permit or travel document, or any other certificate or document whatsoever, which he or she is not entitled to possess or use.
In passing sentence, Harare magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo said Sabili was a first offender and had pleaded guilty, hence did not waste the court’s time and resources.
The passport was forfeited to the State.
Asked where he got the passport, Sabili said a worker from the passport office had sold it to him.
It is the State’s case that on July 19, Sabili went to Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, Harare, intending to exit the country for the United Arab Emirates.
During the process of checking in at the Immigration Department’s exit point, it was discovered by Blessing Chirumarara, an Immigration Department official that Sabili was in possession of a suspected fake Zimbabwean passport bearing his image and particulars. This led to his arrest.
Verifications were made with the Registrar-General’s Department and it was established the passport presented by Sabili was fake.
The original passport was issued to Forget Haruzivikani Wachenuka.
The fake passport was produced in court as exhibit. The Herald
