The Department of Immigration has refuted reports that two Egyptian nationals were detained in the country under unclear circumstances before they were freed and allowed to leave the country following the intervention of human rights lawyers.
Last month, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), said that Emad Awny Elgamal and Khaled Fuozi Foudza, who are both male, were arrested by Zimbabwean Immigration officials on 6 March 2024 and arbitrarily detained under opaque circumstances at Harare Remand Prison.
However, an official at the Department, Prosper Kambarami told Pindula News that several claims made by ZLHR are “materially false claims”.
Kambarami said that it is not true that the two Egyptian nationals entered Zimbabwe lawfully and had valid visitor permits, that the Egyptian nationals were arbitrarily detained under opaque circumstances, or that they were released following the intervention of human rights lawyers.
The Department also refuted claims that the Chief Director of Immigration conceded that they were unlawfully detaining the two Egyptians and that they were entitled to their release, or that the matter was removed from the court roll owing to the concessions made by the Chief Director of Immigration.
According to Kambarami, the two Egyptian nationals are fraudsters and entered the country illegally. He said:
Facts on record are that:
1. The two (2) Egyptian nationals are confirmed fraudsters who entered Zimbabwe using fraudulently acquired Mozambican passports.
2. The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), as an organisation was not party to any of the proceedings.
3. The Chief Director of Immigration never made any concession in court that her Department unlawfully detained the two (2) Egyptians.
4. The Urgent Chamber Application HCH 1600/24 was removed from the roll by consent as the court held the view that the order sought was incompetent in that it sought an order of constitutional invalidity through an Urgent Application.
5. Consequently, it was removed from the roll after Sadowera Kuwana Legal Practitioners conceded that their application was improper.
6. In fact, Sadowera Kuwana Legal Practitioners, are now seeking to rectify their error through a fresh High Court application HCH 2321/24 in Tatenda Chakabva vs Chief Immigration Officer filed on 28 May 2024.
7. The two (2) Egyptian nationals were deported from prison, under escort, as prohibited persons, only after confirmation of their actual identities and nationalities.
In their report, the ZLHR said Elgamal and Foudza were released from prison on 6 April 2024 and their lawyers escorted them to Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, where they flew back to Egypt.
More: Pindula News