Russians Arrested, Face Deportation
23/09/2010 17:04:00
Bulawayo, September 23, 2010 -Zimbabwe’s immigration authorities are set to
deport five Russian tourists for illegally exploring minerals in West
Nicholson, Matabeleland South province.
The five Russians – Volynkin Vladilir, Safonor Alexander, Vorob Vev,
Valerity Kharitonov and Shokolov Ivor – were arrested last week at a new
mining site in West Nicholson.
For illegally exploring for minerals in that province, the five Russian
tourists were charged with abusing their tourist visas when they appeared
before Gwanda Magistrate, Douglas Zvenyika.
According to the state, the five entered the country on tourist visas issued
in Moscow through the Zimbabwean embassy but after entering the country
started engaging in mining activities.
They five Russians who were represented by lawyer Elasto Mugwadi in their
court appearance were charged with contravening the Immigration Act, Chapter
4:02 (engaging in activities not specified in the visa) and fined US$200 or
15 days in prison.
They face deportation. Matabeleland South is rich in gold deposits. Illegal
gold panning is however rife in that province.
President Robert Mugabe often says the country has rich mineral deposits
that he says are adequate to see southern African nation clear its external
debt on its road to economic recovery.
But the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said Zimbabwe’s mining wealth
will not provide sufficient resources to settle the country’s external debt
even if the government mortgaged its future fiscal revenues from the sector.
Zimbabwe’s external debt is US$4,6 billion which is 104% of the country’s
gross domestic product (GDP), a level which is considered unsustainable.
Diamonds, gold and platinum are some of Zimbabwe’s minerals with a potential
to earn the country significant revenue streams, but they are also weighed
down by high extraction costs.