Zim asylum seeker in UK deportation drama

Zim asylum seeker in UK deportation drama

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By Staff Reporter

A ZIMBABWEAN asylum seeker and political activist, Tafara Nhengu, was saved from being deported at the very last minute at Heathrow airport Tuesday night, reports said.

As the drama of this widely publicised asylum case reached a climax at Terminal 4, campaigner, Reverend Dr. Martine Stemerick was forced to leave airport grounds by security who did not want her handing out fliers about Nhengu, SW Radio Africa reported.

But one flier had already landed in the hands of a stewardess on the Kenya airlines plane that was to transport Nhengu. She eventually became the key to saving him from going back to face the Zimbabwean authorities he claims tortured and assaulted him and his family last year.

Tafara told SW Radio Africa the immigration guards who escorted him squeezed the handcuffs so tight they hurt his wrist so much that he screamed out loud. The guards then shoved his face into the seat in front of him to muffle the noise, hurting him even more.

"They abused me verbally, saying I would waste tax payers' money in the UK if I stayed. The drama was witnessed by the Kenya hostess, who then refused to take off with me on board," he said.

Nhengu believes he will be victimised if he goes back to Zimbabwe. He is so afraid to go back that he had tried to hang himself in his detention cell on Monday. He now has a new lawyer.
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