American national deported over work permit

American national deported over work permit

January 17, 2013

A 26-year-old American national working under the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) has been deported by the Immigration Department after being charged with working without a valid permit.

SENIOR COURT REPORTER

Jared Scott Westheim of Number 3 Bowood Road, Mount Pleasant in Harare, was arrested at the immigration offices after he had presented himself to regularise his stay in the country.

Yesterday Westheim appeared before magistrate Lazarus Murendo charged with contravening Section 36 of the Immigration Act.

He was fined $400 before he was escorted to the airport by the police.

It was the State case that on the day in question, Westheim visited the immigration offices in the capital seeking authority to extend his holiday visit.

However, on verification of his records, it was discovered that Westheim once applied for a work permit and his application was rejected on May 14 last year.

Despite his failure to obtain a work permit, Westheim proceeded to work for CHAI in different parts of the country without legal documents.

Westheim had argued that he had been advised by the Health ministry to work in the country pending the regularisation of his work permit.

CHAI was established in 2002 as the Clinton HIV and Aids Initiative to address the HIV and Aids crises in the developing world and strengthening health systems in different countries.

The organisation works closely with governments and other partners to improve the management and organisation of in-country health systems and global commodity markets while addressing key health systems barriers.

http://www.newsday.co.zw/2013/01/17/american-national-deported-over-work-permit/