BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A tragic weekend on Zimbabwe’s roads has left seven people dead and 36 others injured in two separate accidents in Masvingo and Hwange.

The first accident occurred on Monday, at around 2:00 a.m. along the Mutare-Masvingo Road when a Toyota Quantum vehicle carrying 22 Zion Christian Church congregants veered off the road and overturned, killing six people and injuring 16 others.

In a separate incident, one person was killed, and 20 others were injured in Hwange when a Nissan NP300 vehicle overturned after its left rim broke on Sunday, at around 5:00 a.m.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has urged motorists to exercise caution on the roads, avoiding speeding and observing all road rules and regulations to prevent such tragic accidents.

The police are currently working to identify the victims, and the names will be released once the next of kin have been notified.

BY NEWZWIRE

The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe will temporarily suspend all routine visa services starting Thursday, according to a State Department memo.

The suspension will impact a range of visa categories, including immigrant visas, and nonimmigrant visas for tourism, business, study, and exchange programmes. A senior State Department official said:

The Administration is always working to prevent      visa overstay and misuse.

The official cited Zimbabwe’s B1 and B2 visa overstay rate of 10.57%, equivalent to 709 individuals.

Overstay rates among student visa holders are also a concern — particularly as Zimbabwe has not agreed to a so-called “safe third country” or “third country national” arrangement, which would allow asylum seekers to pursue their claims from a country they previously transited through, the official said.

The Trump administration has reportedly exerted pressure on African nations to accept the return of non-national migrants. To date, only Eswatini, Rwanda, and South Sudan have publicly agreed to such an arrangement.

According to the memo, the suspension will not affect visas that are already valid, and certain applications, including official and C-3 diplomatic visas, will continue to be processed.

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A 52-year-old Chinese national has appeared in court on charges of illicit financial dealings involving US$880 000.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Sun Limin, a Chinese businesswoman, was arrested on July 31, at her premises in Graniteside, Harare.

“The accused, a Chinese national, is facing charges of contravening the Exchange Control Act [Chapter 22:05] and the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act [Chapter 9:24:1],” said the NPA in a statement.

“Sun Limin allegedly transferred US$880 000 to China without the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s approval between January and July 2025.

Investigations have confirmed bills of entry for the goods, which were imported from China via Forbes Border Post. Witness testimonies from clearing agents and documents proving transactions were also obtained.”

The NPA added that Sun Limin concealed the true nature and source of the funds, which authorities believe are proceeds of crime.

Sun Limin was granted US$500 bail, with conditions that include surrendering her passport, reporting to the police every Friday, and refraining from interfering with witnesses.

“The case highlights growing scrutiny on financial crimes in Zimbabwe, especially involving cross-border transactions. Authorities are tightening controls to curb illicit capital flight and money laundering,” said the NPA.