Drowned Zim man faced deportation from UK

Drowned Zim man faced deportation from UK

• Zim man jailed in £20m cheque book scam

• UK jail for Zim identity fraud woman

• Busted: register of rogue dealers

• Zim woman stabbed, racially abused in UK

• Zimbabwean jailed for life in UK

• Student knifed to death on Christmas Day in Bradford

• Woman died after bungled self-abortion

• 4 years for scalding hubby with boiling cooking oil

• Zim man scalded with hot cooking oil in Luton

• Zim student in UK credit card fraud

By Staff Reporter

A YOUNG Zimbabwean man who appeared to commit suicide by diving into a ship canal in Manchester, England, was an asylum seeker facing deportation -- it was revealed.

Edmore Ngwenya, 26, stepped into the Manchester Ship Canal near Exchange Quay in front of horrified office workers and police officers who were trying to coax him away from chains attached to the side of the canal.

Police have referred the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission after officers tried in vain to rescue him. An inquest into Ngwenya's death was opened and adjourned on Wednesday this week.

He had been living in Pembroke Street, Langworthy, Salford.

Office workers called police after they saw Ngwenya standing too close to the water. For five minutes, two officers tried to coax him away.

But after giving them his age and first name, and telling them he was from Zimbabwe, he stepped into the water.

Officers tried to use a belt as a lifeline as he remained on the surface for two minutes while office workers watched helpless from windows. As soon as he went under, one officer went in and dived down twice to try to find him.

A Home Office spokesman refused to comment on the case.

In July, the government's policy of deporting failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers was questioned when a High Court judge called for a halt until possible dangers they faced were assessed.

About 40 Zimbabweans detained across Britain went on hunger strike. The government imposed a temporary freeze on deportations until October.
Emma Ginn, of the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns, said: "We're not surprised by yet another death, and neither should the Home Office be. The asylum determination process is little more than a lottery."
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
newsdesk@newzimbabwe.com