The Immigration Department has arrested 57 people countrywide for unlawful entry and stay, among other offenses.

Department Public Relations Manager Namati Nshinka disclosed in a statement, Wednesday, that the suspects were all arrested between 3rd and 6th August this year.

Nshinka stated that among those arrested were six Ethiopian nationals who were found with no documentation, 23 Malawians and nine Burundians were picked for unlawful entry and stay.

He stated that others were four Tanzanians, seven Congolese, one Mozambican, four Somalians, one Chinese, one Namibian, and another one Ugandan national.

“The Department of Immigration between 3rd and 6th August, 2018, arrested 57 persons for various immigration offences countrywide, including six Ethiopians who were on Saturday, 4th August, 2018, picked in Matero following a tip off from members of the public. They did not have any documentation at the time of the arrests. Meanwhile, 16 Malawians in Chipata and eight Burundians in Lusaka’s Kalikiliki compound were arrested for unlawful entry and stay. Those arrested for unlawful stay were three Tanzanians in Katima- Mulilo and one Congolese in Kasama. Others were one Tanzanian in Solwezi and one Mozambican in Choma. Meanwhile, seven Malawians in Lundazi, four Somalis in Kafue and four Congolese in Chingola, were all arrested for unlawful entry. Others arrested were two Congolese and one Burundian refugees arrested in Solwezi for being outside a refugee camp without authority, one Namibian in Katima Mulilo arrested for working without a permit, and one Ugandan in Lusaka arrested for unlawfully using a National Registration Card issued to another person. Meanwhile, at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, one Chinese national was arrested for being in possession of a visa suspected to be fake,” Nshinka stated.

And Nshinka stated that the Department also refused entry to nine foreign nationals for failing to meet entry requirements.

“During this period, the Department also refused entry to nine foreign nationals for failing to meet entry requirements for Zambia. These were one Chinese, one Lebanese and one Indian, all turned away at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. One Syrian, one South Sudanese, one Ugandan and one Sierra Leonean were refused entry at Nakonde Border Control, while two Mozambicans were refused entry in Luangwa,” he stated.

Nshinka further stated that the Department has secured seven convictions for seven people countrywide for the offences of unlawful entry.

“The Department of Immigration on Friday, 3rd August, 2018, secured the conviction of seven persons countrywide, including four Somalis in Kafue who were convicted for the offence of unlawful entry. Two were each sentenced to pay a fine of K2,000 or in default 3 months simple imprisonment, one was fined K4,000 or in default 3 month simple imprisonment, while the fourth person was sentenced to pay a fine of K2,100 or in default 3 months simple imprisonment. Similarly, in Kasama, one Tanzanian was convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of K450 or in default 3 months simple imprisonment for a similar offence. Meanwhile, in Chipata, one Rwandese refugee was convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of K300 or in default 3 months simple imprisonment for the offences of being outside a refugee settlement without authority and working without a permit. Similarly, in in Solwezi, one Chinese national was convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of K3,000 or in default 6 months simple imprisonment for the offences of unlawful stay and working without a permit,” stated Nshinka.

“The Department wishes to commend Zambians for cooperating with the Department in the enforcement of the Immigration and Deportation Act. We wish to encourage all well-meaning citizens and residents to report any suspected illegal immigrants to the nearest immigration office so as to help us rid the country of those who may be staying illegally.”