The Department of Immigration has arrested 44 individuals in four days for committing various offences, including unlawful stay and unlawful entry; and convicted 16 others in the same period.
In a statement released, Wednesday, Department of Immigration public relations officer Namati Nshinka stated that the 44 persons were arrested at various points around the country.
“The Department of Immigration, between Friday, 20th July, 2018, and Monday, 23rd July, 2018, arrested 44 persons for various immigration offences, countrywide. Those arrested were four South Africans in Lusaka, three Tanzanians in Kasama and two Somalis in Kasumbalesa; all for the offence of unlawful stay. Others were two Indians in Kapiri Mposhi, two Malawians in Nakonde, one Egyptian and one Congolese in Kafue. One Chinese in Mkushi and one Congolese in Kashiba, all arrested for a similar offence,” Nshinka stated.
“Those arrested for unlawful entry were 20 Malawians arrested in Chipata during an operation, two Congolese in Chingola, two Malawians in Katete, one Mozambican and one Angolan, in Luangwa and Ndola, respectively. Meanwhile, one Zambian in Kasama was arrested for aiding the illegal entry of a foreign national. During this period, the Department also secured the conviction of sixteen foreign nationals for various immigration offences, with the convicts sentenced to pay fines ranging from K200 to K5,000 or in default 2 to 6 months simple imprisonment. These were seven Malawians in Chipata, two Bangladeshi nationals and one Congolese in Luangwa and one Egyptian in Lusaka; all convicted for the offence of unlawful stay. Others were one Congolese in Kitwe and one Malawian in Lundazi.”
Nshinka also disclosed the Department of Immigration also deported 49 illegal immigrants from the country.
“The Department of Immigration, between Friday, 20th July, 2018, and Monday, 23rd July, 2018, also removed 49 illegal immigrants from the country. These were 44 Ethiopians in Lusaka, removed with financial assistance from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Others were two Congolese in Ndola, two Bangladeshi nationals in Kabwe and one Somali in Kasumbalesa. Meanwhile, five foreign nationals were refused entry into Zambia for failing to satisfy the entry requirements for Zambia. These were two Tanzanians in Nakonde and one Kenyan at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA), refused entry for using invalid travel documents; one Nigerian at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, refused entry for not having an entry visa. Meanwhile, one Ugandan, also at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, was refused entry for failing to give a proper purpose of visit,” Nshinka narrated.
Meanwhile, in other developments, Nshinka stated that the Department apprehended 31 Malawians and one Burundian in Chipata for unlawful entry and stay.
“This was in a clean-up operation carried out across Chipata City. The suspects are currently detained at Namuseche Correctional Centre pending prosecution,” stated Nshinka.
“In other parts of the country, the Department arrested a total of five persons for various immigration offences. These were one Zambian and one Indian in Lusaka, arrested in a suspected case of fake adoption, and one Congolese in Kitwe and a Chinese national in Choma, arrested for unlawful stay. Meanwhile, in Chirundu, one Zimbabwean was arrested for unlawful entry.”
