By JAMES KUNDA –
THE Immigration Department has arrested seventeen Ethiopians for illegal entry and stay barely a week after thirty-seven people of the same nationality were arrested for a similar offence in Serenje.
Meanwhile, one of the thirty-seven Ethiopians arrested for illegal in Serenje recently has died of suspected malaria, in detention.
Immigration Department acting public relations officer Mubanda Chileshe said in a statement yesterday that the agency had arrested seventeen more Ethiopians at a named village in Mpika.
Ms Chileshe said court proceedings against thirty-seven had already commenced but on Monday, one of them died of suspected malaria in detention while another is unwell.
In separate incidents, Ms Chileshe said a Malawian and Zimbabwean were ordered to leave the country as their application for a temporary permit was rejected.
“The Nakonde Office denied three Tanzanians entry for not having business days to enter the country, while the Chipata Regional Office declared six Malawians to leave the country,” she said.
Ms Chileshe said the Ndola regional office detained two Congolese men for trading illegally and in a similar incidence; an Ethiopian was arrested for being in possession of three different passports from Somalia, Ethiopia and Tanzania.
She said a female Congolese was ordered to leave the country by the same office while the Kitwe office arrested a Congolese for working whilst on a spousal permit.
Meanwhile, Ms Chileshe said the Kitwe Magistrate Court convicted and sentenced a Ugandan to a fine of K1, 600 for unlawful stay.
She said the same Court sentenced another Ugandan to a fine of K1, 000 or in default six months simple imprisonment for not leaving Zambia after being ordered to leave the country.
Ms Chileshe said a court in Lusaka convicted and sentenced a Congolese to a fine of K2,000 for illegal stay.
“The same Court also sentenced an Egyptian to a fine of K5,000 for illegal stay and a Ugandan was sentenced to a fine of K3,000 for illegal stay,” she added.