Zimbabwe court orders deportation of former U.S. congressman

Former U.S. congressman Mel Reynolds (C) arrives at the Harare Magistrates court, February 20, 2014. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo

HARARE (Reuters) - A Zimbabwean court on Friday ordered the deportation of former U.S. congressman Mel Reynolds after he pleaded guilty to staying in the southern African country on an expired visa. Reynolds, 62, was arrested at a local hotel on Monday but has denied additional charges of possessing pornographic images and videos. That case was due to continue later on Friday. Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe fined Reynolds $100 or five days in prison for the visa misdemeanour. His lawyer Arthur Gurira told the court the former Illinois congressman had suffered a mild stroke earlier this year. (Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa)