A COUPLE allegedly fleeing unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been arrested with its eight minor children, one of them aged one year.
The eldest child is aged 14 years old. Kasambule Ebondo, 40, and wife Mumba Kayeye, 32, of Lubumbashi, told Victoria Falls magistrate
Rangarai Gakanje that they escaped from their country last week and chose to come to Zimbabwe to seek refuge. Prosecutors charged the couple with illegally entering the country.
The minors could be seen playing outside the courtroom while their parents were being tried. Ebondo and Kayeye pleaded guilty to the charge and were sentenced to four months in prison which was wholly suspended for five years on condition they don’t commit a similar offence within that period.
The magistrate also ordered that they be deported. “You should have sought to have travel documents before thinking of travelling instead of entering the country illegally,” said Gakanje.
Ebondo burst into tears as he explained to the court why he and his family fled the DRC.
“There is unrest in our country where people are being killed on a daily basis. We fear for our lives and that of our children because some of our relatives were axed to death recently. We will be having elections soon and that is what is sparking political disputes. We didn’t get a chance to obtain any travelling documents because of the unrest,” he said.
Prosecuting, Listen Nare told the court that the couple illegally crossed into the country from Zambia on Tuesday.
“The accused proceeded to Chinotimba suburb to seek refuge. Police detectives received information that there were illegal immigrants in the country. At around 4AM police found the eight children sleeping outside a shop,” the prosecutor said.
The court heard that when they were questioned, it was discovered that they were Congolese citizens who illegally entered the country. Ebondo and Kayeye failed to produce their travelling documents leading to their immediate arrest
5 Replies to “DRC Family with 8 Kids to Be Deported from Zimbabwe”
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What is the useless SADC organisation doing besides messing up the Tribunal that the ordinary citizens would have benefited . Visit http://www.southernafricalitigationcentre.org they have draw up a petition to restore the Tribunal Court if we ordinary people do not stand up to these leaders we will be like this family . The Souther Africa Litigation Center is based in South Africa and is a human rights organisation Go for it guys. It is a pity non of the papers online have done an article of this Human Rights Organisation that would save us
Many Zimbabweans scattered in SADC are undocumented, hence SA had to come up with the Zimbabwe special permit dispensation in order to regularise the stay of Zimbabweans in that country. Zimbabweans are largely running away from hunger and poverty. Yet here is a SADC national who is running away from real and not perceived danger and is being deported by a country whose citizens are being accommodated in the region! I wonder how the powers that be will feel if the family is wiped out upon being deported to the Congo.
Many Zimbabweans scattered in SADC are undocumented, hence SA had to come up with the Zimbabwe special permit dispensation in order to regularise the stay of Zimbabweans in that country. Zimbabweans are largely running away from hunger and poverty. Yet here is a SADC national who is running away from real and not perceived danger and is being deported by a country whose citizens are being accommodated in the region! I wonder how the powers that be will feel if the family is wiped out upon being deported to the Congo.
have mercy for this family. Think of the children and help. Zimbabwe a lot of your people are refugees in many countries. Have mercy for the children.
have mercy for this family. Think of the children and help. Zimbabwe a lot of your people are refugees in many countries. Have mercy for the children.