HARARE - Ex-United States of America congressman Mel Jay Reynolds, who is facing charges of contravening Immigration and Censorship Acts, told a Harare magistrate he does not understand the charge.
Magistrate Tendai Mahwe had questioned why Reynolds’ lawyer Arthur Gurira had stalled court proceedings and delayed accused’s plea.
“I myself do not have any problem with proceeding but I am being patient and diligent enough to fully explain the nature of allegations to accused person, to an extent that I endeavour to make him understand the essential elements of the offence,” he said.
“If he is to plead to this charge, he will fully understand what he is pleading to. I will only be able to proceed after getting full instructions from my client.”
Reynolds was arrested at a Harare hotel on Monday and has already spent three nights in remand prison.
He appeared in court on Thursday for his bail hearing, where he challenged his continued placement on remand.
Reynolds,62, allegedly overstayed his visa and brought several Zimbabwean models and other women to his hotel room where he took photographs and videos.
It is the State’s case that Reynolds entered the country through the Plumtree border on November 13, last year and was booked at Bronte Hotel in Harare.
Prosecutor Michael Reza claims Reynolds was on a business visit and was supposed to have left the country by November 27, last year.
He, was however, authorised to stay further in the country until December 10.
Reynolds, according to State papers, did not seek authority to further extend his stay in the country after December 10.
The State alleges that when his hotel room was raided, he was found with images of naked men and women on his mobile phone.
In court documents, investigating officer George Garauzive, said he discovered the photos when asked by immigration officials who arrested Reynolds to go through his phone.
He did not enter a plea on a separate charge of violating immigration laws.