• Kitwe Immigration Office has secured the conviction of a 27-year-old Indian national.
• Imran was apprehended on 20th May 2021 in Kitwe’s Chimwemwe Township.
• He was sentenced to pay a fine of K 10,000.

Department of Immigration says the Kitwe Magistrate Court has fined an Indian national of K 10,000 or in default 4 months simple imprisonment for unlawful stay into the country.

Immigration Public Relations Officer Namati Nshinka disclosed to Money FM News that 27-year-old Imran was apprehended on 20th May 2021 in Kitwe’s Chimwemwe Township during a routine operation after it was established that he had overstayed in the country.

Mr. Nshinka stated that Mr. Imran entered the country on 21st March 2021 through Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and failed to apply for a Provisional Employment Permit before the expiry of his non-extendable 30 business visit days.

He said the convict managed to pay the fine and was removed from the country on 2nd June 2021, bringing the total number of convictions secured by the Department of Immigration between 28th May and 2nd June 2021 to 44.

“The Kitwe Immigration Office has secured the conviction of a 27-year-old Indian national holder of passport No.M4183058 for the offence of unlawful stay contrary to section 11(3) as read with section 56(1) of the Immigration and Deportation Act No.18 of 2010.”

“He appeared before the Magistrate Court in Kitwe on 28th May 2021 and was sentenced to pay a fine of K 10,000 or in default four months simple imprisonment. He paid the fine and was removed from the country on 2nd June 2021,” Mr. Nshinka said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nshinka revealed that between 28th May and 2nd June 2021, the Department of Immigration removed 108 Prohibited Immigrants from the country.

He said among the prohibited immigrants are 22 Congolese who were removed on 1st June 2021 by Immigration Officers at Kasumbalesa Border Control after entering the country illegally.

“Also removed were twenty-one (21) Zimbabweans by the Kafue Immigration Office, sixteen (16) of whom had completed serving prison terms. The Kitwe Immigration Office also removed seventeen (17) Tanzanians from the country, eleven of whom also completed serving prison terms.”

“In another development, the Kapiri Mposhi Immigration Office has apprehended 08 Ethiopians for unlawful entry and stay. The Ethiopians aged between 19 and 34 years were nabbed as they were walking along a named street in Kapiri Mposhi following a tip-off from the Police. This was after they failed to produce documentation legalizing their entry and stay in Zambia. It is believed that the group had initially been smuggled in a fuel tanker but later abandoned by the suspected smuggler for fear of detection by Officers who had mounted a checkpoint at Lwanshimba. It is also believed that their final destination was South Africa. They have since been transferred to Kabwe Regional Immigration Office for further formalities,” he added.

He encouraged members of the public with information of an individual, business, or employer who may be aiding and abetting illegal immigrants to inform the Department of Immigration.