HARARE – Israeli national Arthur Chen, who was nabbed last week for overstaying his holiday visa and contravening the country’s immigration laws, is awaiting deportation after being convicted on his own guilty plea and paying a $200 fine.
The 42 year-old Avondale resident, who is also believed to have been working for compatriot Zohar Pablo’s Shurugwi mine, was ordered to pay a fine or face up to 30 days in prison.
“Accused (Chen) to be handed (over) to the immigration department after payment of the fine,” read magistrate Vongai Gurira’s verdict.
Although Pablo and one of his key local representatives Martin Hakunavanhu’s role in the saga remains unknown, it turns out that the self-styled miner was ejected after a similar offence in September 2014 and only arrested after pitching up at Liquenda House “to renew his papers”.
Upon producing his Israeli passport, it was discovered that Chen had been “declared a prohibited immigrant”, thus leading to his arrest and appearance before Gunurira on Saturday.
According to the State outline, the complainant is Godfrey Kondo from the immigration department.
The arrest also comes as Pablo’s businesses, including his EventWorks-owned Pabloz nightclub in Harare, have come under the spotlight for a variety of issues.
“As you would know, Chen was Pablo’s right-hand man and this development is likely to shift attention to the latter. Interestingly, Henrietta Rushwaya played a part in the visa saga,” said a source.
