The Department of Immigration has called on employers and expatriates to ensure that that all conditions of the permits held are complied with.

Immigration Public Relations Officer Namati Nshinka told Money FM News that the department is concerned with a growing trend among employers of abrogating terms and conditions of immigration permits, adding that failure to comply with the conditions may lead to serious consequences to both parties.

“Failure to comply with these conditions may lead to serious consequences to both parties, including but not limited to prosecution, permit revocation, and removal from the country, of the expatriate.   We also wish to warn citizens to desist from interfering or obstructing immigration officers in the execution of duty, as they too risk facing the wrath of the law,” Mr. Nshinka said.

And Mr. Nshinka disclosed that the Department in Lusaka has penalized 17 Indians and one Zimbabwean to pay for Temporary Permits to legalize their immigration status in Zambia.

He said the group was apprehended at Kafue Sugar during a routine inspection of the business, after it was discovered that they were in abrogation of various conditions of their immigration permits, including applying for Employment Permits whilst in the country and working for a company other than that stipulated in their permit.

He stated in another development, the Ndola Regional Immigration Office has also compelled 11 Chinese nationals to pay for Temporary Permits valid for 30 days for them to wind-up and leave the country, after they were apprehended for working for a company other than that stipulated in their Employment Permits.

“Similarly, the Ndola Regional Immigration Office has also compelled eleven (11) Chinese nationals to pay for Temporary Permits valid for 30 days for them to wind-up and leave the country. This was after they were apprehended for working for a company other than that stipulated in their Employment Permits.”

“They were found working at Tongguan Mine Construction when their Employment Permits were issued under Non-Ferrous Corporation Africa (NFCA) Mining. This was during a routine operation carried out on 11th November 2020 by the Kitwe Immigration Office.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Nshinka revealed that the Department of Immigration between 4th and 16th November 2020 also secured 174 convictions countrywide and the convicts received sentences ranging from K 300 to K 12,000 or in default 2 to 12 months simple imprisonment.

He said the Department also apprehended 190 persons for various offences country-wide and they include 24 Zimbabweans, 16 Ethiopians, 11 Burundians, 10 Congolese, and 10 Malawians.

“During this period, the Department also secured 174 convictions countrywide. The convicts received sentences ranging from K 300 to K 12,000 or in default 2 to 12 months simple imprisonment. These were thirty 30 Zimbabweans, 21 Burundians, and 13 Tanzanians convicted for unlawful entry. Others convicted for a similar offence were 12 Mozambicans, 09 Malawians, and 03 Congolese.”

“Those convicted for unlawful stay were 28 Zimbabweans, 19 Congolese, 09 Burundians, 09 Malawians, and 09 Tanzanians. Others convicted for a similar offence were 01 Cameroonian, 01 Ethiopian, and 01 Rwandese. Others were 02 Tanzanians and one 01 Rwandese convicted for attempting to obtain National Registration Cards, fraudulently, 03 Congolese refugees convicted for being outside a refugee camp without authority,  02 Tanzanians for trading without permits, and 01 Tanzanian for having a passport bearing a forged endorsement,” he stated.