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Marvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
A SOUTH African national Lourens Marthinus Botha, 66, who was accused of working without a permit at Doddieburn Ranch in Gwanda District, has been acquitted at the close of the State’s case due to lack of evidence.It was the State’s case that the Immigration Department had granted Botha authority to enter the country from South Africa between September 6, 2012 and May 17, this year, for holiday and business purposes only but he ended up as a manager at Doddieburn Ranch. Botha had denied the charges of contravening the Immigration Act when he appeared before Matabeleland South Provincial magistrate-in-charge Reuben Mukavhi.

His acquittal came after his lawyer Thamsanqa Khumalo applied for discharge at the close of the State case citing lack of evidence linking his client to the alleged crime. Khumalo submitted that State witnesses, Ndumiso Ndlovu, the ranch supervisor and Tawanda Innocent Hamandishe, a senior immigration officer, had said nothing to support the State’s allegations.