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Melvin Jay Reynolds

Harare Bureau
A LAWYER representing Melvin Jay Reynolds, the former United States Congressman for Chicago who is facing charges of overstaying in the country and possession of pornographic material, is having difficulties in convincing him to admit to breaching immigration laws.Reynolds, who came into Zimbabwe last year purporting to be a middleman for foreign investors in the tourism industry, appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court yesterday before magistrate, Tendai Mahwe.

Reynolds’ lawyer, Arthur Gurira, notified the court of his intentions to make an application challenging his client’s placement on remand in respect of the charge of possessing pornographic material.

On the charges of overstaying in the country, Gurira sought postponement of the matter to today for a possible plea recording.
Mahwe queried why the defence was taking long to wind the matter.

“Mr Lawyer, why is it taking long to record the plea? Can we not just do it now and finalise the matter?”
Gurira told the court that he was having a torrid time in explaining the essential elements of the charges to Reynolds who seemed not to fully understand them.

“I myself do not have any problem with that, but Your Worship, I’m being patient and diligent enough to fully explain the nature of these allegations to the accused person to make him understand what he will be pleading to,” Gurira said.

He added: “In a nutshell, Your Worship, I will only be able to proceed after I have been given proper and specific instructions.
“My own attitude would be that we plead to contravening the immigration laws and get it off the way but my client seems not to understand this.”

Mahwe rolled over the matter to today when Gurira is expected to make an application challenging placement on remand. He is also expected to plead to charges of illegally staying in the country.

Sharon Mashavira, prosecuting, told the court that Reynolds had pictures of naked men and women having sexual intercourse on his iPhone 4.

Reynolds is also overstaying after entering the country on November 13 last year through Plumtree border post on a business visa valid for two weeks.

Reynolds did not extend his stay in the country since December 10 and did not return to the United States at the expiry of his permit and, was therefore, staying illegally.