Zimbabwe Opposition Figure Arrested in UK

[XXPANTHAXX]

Wednesday, 12 October 2005,

By News Editor http://www.Andnetwork.com

A Zimbabwean opposition official, Oswald Ndanga, faces jail
in the United Kingdom after admitting to masquerading as an
immigration advisor and ripping off asylum seekers.

The accused, who is the Movement for Democratic Change, MDC
district chairman for Luton, was told by a judge at the Luton
Crown Court last week that he faced a jail term after
pleading guilty to eight counts of deception by posing as an
immigration consultant.

The 63-year-old politician allegedly collected money from
asylum seekers on the pretext that he would offer them legal
help, yet he was not qualified to do so.

He pleaded guilty to eight counts of deception, one of
providing immigration services while not qualified and one
charge of fraudulent trading at the Luton Crown Court on
Wednesday last week.

Reports from the UK said Ndanga ran ON Legal Consultants Ltd
from his home on Wodecroft Road, Luton, with the charges
covering a period between July 2003 and November 2004.

The reports said Ndanga had previous convictions and had been
due to stand trial later this month, but pleaded guilty to
some of the charges he faced after discussions.

Mr Stuart Alford, prosecuting, said the pleas were acceptable
and trial would not be necessary.

The charges involved receiving money from various people
after claiming that he was a professional immigration
consultant who could process their asylum applications in
a "timely and professional manner".

Ndanga, who was sentenced for similar offences at the Luton
Magistrates’ Court in 2003, was remanded on bail to be
sentenced at the end of the month, when the full facts would
be revealed.

As part of the bail conditions, he was ordered to report
twice daily to police and not to apply for travel documents.

Judge John Bevan told Ndanga, who has a surety of £10
000: "There is a very likelihood of a prison sentence for
these offences."

ON Legal Consultants Ltd’s website states that the firm
has "over five years experience of helping immigration and
asylum difficulties (sic) and general legal advice."

Ndanga lost his parliamentary seat in Zimbabwe to Bernard
Makokove of the ruling Zanu-PF in a by-election in Chikomba
following the death of war veterans’ leader Cde Chenjerai
Hunzvi in 2000.