Ex-Zimbabwe diplomat jailed in UK

Ex-Zimbabwe diplomat jailed in UK

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By Staff Reporter

A ONE-TIME Zimbabwean diplomat and high-ranking member of Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in the United Kingdom was beginning a two-and-half year jail term on Friday.

Oswald Ndanga, 63, of Wodecroft Road, Luton, was reprimanded by a judge for running a con where he pretended to be a lawyer and immigration consultant.

Ndanga has served as Zimbabwe’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and was appointed the country’s ambassador to the then Soviet Union, now Russia.

He resurfaced in 2000 when he stood in a by-election in the Chikomba district on behalf of the MDC. He lost out to the ruling Zanu PF’s candidate amid claims of voter intimidation and rigging. He is also the MDC’s district chairman in Luton.

He offered advice to his countrymen who were seeking asylum and others who wanted to stay in the country for a fee.

But Luton Crown Court heard that he did very little to follow up the applications.

Ndanga had pleaded guilty to eight charges of obtaining property by deception, one of providing immigration advice or services without qualification and one of fraudulent trading.

Prosecutor Stuart Alford said Ndanga had claimed on business cards that he was a lawyer whereas he had only completed one year of a three year law course.

Several cases where Zimbabwean people seeking immigration services had been conned by him were outlined in court. It also heard he had been serving a community punishment order for eleven identical offences in 2001 and 2002.

Rasib Ghaffar, defending, said: "By using the terms on his business card he meant that his client would have access to lawyers."

He added Ndanga thought he had an agreement with a proper firm of immigration advisors which covered him.

Sentencing him, Judge John Bevan said: "You are a liar when you call yourself a solicitor and you are a good old fashioned confidence trickster."

He said Ndanga would serve half his 27-months sentence and then be released on licence. He was also banned from being involved with any company for 10 years.
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