By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
FOURTEEN more refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) arrested in July in a raid in Lusaka have been convicted by a Lusaka magistrate’s court.
The court on Monday and Tuesday this week convicted 14 Congolese Refugees for leaving the refugee camp without authority contrary to Section 31 (4) of the Immigration and Deportation Act number 18 of 2010.
Two Congolese juvenile refugees were discharged.
This is according to a statement by Immigration Department public relations officer Namati Nshinka.
“These were among the 149 detained on July 27, 2014 in Chibolya and Kabwata townships in an operation conducted by a joint team of Police, Immigration and Registrar of Societies,” Mr Nshinka said.
Of the 14 Congolese refugees convicted, three were fined K2, 000 each, two were fined K600 each and four others were sentenced to a fine of K500 each.
Two others were sentenced to five and three months simple imprisonment respectively while one was fined K1,000 and another was fined K 600 or in default three months simple imprisonment.
A Congolese juvenile was also fined K 300.
Mr Nshinka said 64 out of the 149 have been convicted, while others would soon be appearing in court.
Meanwhile,the Immigration Department at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on Tuesday, September 2, 2014 received a Zambian deported from the United Kingdom for overstaying.
