SIXTEEN Bangladeshi nationals arrested in Victoria Falls last week have been jailed for two months after failing to pay US$100 fines for illegally entering the country.

The immigrants, aged between 24 and 40 years, were convicted and ordered to pay the fine by Victoria Falls magistrate Archibold Dingana after pleading guilty to contravening the country’s immigration laws.

They were arrested on July 17 when police stopped their minibus at a road block along the Victoria Falls – Bulawayo road and discovered that their passports had not been stamped at the border.

Following the arrest, Victoria Falls police chief, Jairos Chiona, said: “They managed to evade both Zimbabwe and Zambia immigration procedures and were only arrested at a police roadblock on their way to Bulawayo.”

Corrupt immigration officials at the country's border posts are blamed for an influx of illegal immigrants into Zimbabwe. Many simply bribe their way through.