Top opposition politician in Zimbabwe, Tendai Biti has been deported from Zambia to his home country.
He was earlier arrested at the border with Zambia on Wednesday while trying to cross over to seek asylum.
Biti was freed and allowed to enter Zambia but his request for asylum was turned down by Zambian officials.
His lawyer Gilbert Phiri told the BBC that Zambian officials defied a court order not to deport him.
Phiri says Biti has now been handed over to Zimbabwe police.
“They quickly opened the border around 06:00 [04:00GMT] and took loads of paramilitary officers there. We had obtained a court order late last night but the Zambian authorities refused us to serve it on them.
After some time, we just saw a convoy exiting on the Zimbabwean side and [Mr] Biti was immediately not reachable on phone. That’s how he has gone,” Phiri is quoted by the BBC as saying.
Biti’s earlier arrest was part of an ongoing clampdown on persons alleged to have caused last week’s election violence.
Tendai Biti, a former finance minister and a member of the MDC alliance is believed to be part of a list of opposition supporters being hunted by the police.
Biti is now in custody in Zimbabwe and expected to answer to charges.
Why are opposition activists wanted?
The Zimbabwe police unit mounted a search for Biti and other opposition activists for allegedly inciting their members to protest last week.
The opposition MDC supporters were disputing the presidential election results which confirmed President Emmerson Mnangagwa as winner.
Police are now searching for nine senior officials of the opposition MDC Alliance with a warrant issued for them.
Six peopled died last week when opposition supporters clashed with soldiers who shot into them resulting in the deaths.
Zimbabwe prosecutors are blaming the opposition for the deaths.
Source: Africafeeds.com
