(MISA/IFEX) – Moses Oguti, the editor-in-chief of the Botswana magazine “Trans -Kalahari”, is still in prison one month after he was arrested in Mutare for entering Zimbabwe illegally through the Forbes Border Post. Oguti is being held in a Harare prison. MISA’s Zimbabwe chapter (MISA-Zimbabwe) learned in a telephone interview with the Zimbabwe Prison Service […]
(MISA/IFEX) – Moses Oguti, the editor-in-chief of the Botswana magazine “Trans -Kalahari”,
is still in prison one month after he was arrested in Mutare for entering Zimbabwe illegally through the Forbes Border Post. Oguti is being held in a Harare prison.
MISA’s Zimbabwe chapter (MISA-Zimbabwe) learned in a telephone interview with the Zimbabwe Prison Service public relations officer, Frank Meki, that Oguti was still being held. “Yes, he is still in prison. We are only providing him with accommodation ⦠what’s going to happen to him is the baby of the immigration authorities,” Meki stated.
The chief immigration officer, identified only as Mr. Kambunda, said that his office was interviewing Oguti and was considering helping him retrieve his car, which was left in the eastern border town of Mutare. Kambunda told MISA-Zimbabwe that Oguti was to be deported sometime in the near future.
Kambunda was, however, reluctant to disclose the date when Oguti would be deported. The immigration department and the police still insist that Oguti was not arrested for any journalistic related work but for the criminal offence of border jumping.
Background Information
Oguti was arrested on 17 February for allegedly entering Zimbabwe illegally through the Forbes Border Post (border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique). Oguti’s co-accused, a driver from
Mozambique, is still at large. The driver is said to have driven Oguti’s vehicle into Zimbabwe while Oguti himself is said to have entered Zimbabwe through an illegal entry point in the mountains.
On 26 February, police spokesperson Francis Mubvuta indicated that Oguti would be charged with “entry by evasion” and would also be declared a prohibited immigrant. Oguti was expected to be deported soon after his transfer to Harare prison.
It is still not clear if Oguti entered Zimbabwe with the intent to perform media-related work. He had apparently told police and immigration officials that he was merely visiting.
