A 23-YEAR-OLD Briton who was arrested together with 20 other foreigners last week for trespassing into Marange diamond fields has been given 72 hours to vacate the country after securing a temporary permit.
BY KENNETH NYANGAN1
Rhiain Moses was detained in Mutare on Friday after appearing before Mutare magistrate Lazarus Murendo, where his 23 co-accused including human rights activist Farayi Maguwu were fined $100 and released.
Moses was detained because his visa expired two months ago.
Her lawyer, Passmore Nyakureba, confirmed the development yesterday.
“She has gone to Harare now [yesterday], she has been finally released by immigration upon securing a temporary permit for her to vacate the country,” he said.
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“The permit is only valid for 72 hours, so she should be here for only two more days. The permit costs almost $1 000. So she was released upon payment. On Saturday she was detained until she sorted out her issues.”
The court heard that on November 10, Maguwu organised a meeting with members of the Bocha Diamonds Community Trust to gather opinions on the impact of mining, so as to draft a petition to demand development in the area using diamond proceeds. The meeting was attended by 21 foreign nationals and villagers from headman Mukwada’s area.