By JAMES KUNDA –
TWENTY-THREE Somalians have been arrested for various immigration offences in Lusaka.
Meanwhile, four Congolese in Ndola have been arrested by the Immigration Department for unlawful stay.
Immigration Department public relations officer Namati Nshinka said in a statement yesterday that the Somalians were arrested during a clean-up operation of the city, particularly Chaisa and Makeni areas.
“The 23, most of who failed to produce documentation at the time of the operation, are currently detained and the screening process is in progress,” he said.
Still in Lusaka, Mr Nshinka said a Tanzanian woman was apprehended at her house in Zanimoune for harbouring prohibited immigrants.
The officers discovered 9 undocumented Ethiopians in the house and the suspect with her brother along with the immigrants are in custody pending further investigations.
“In Chipata, the regional Immigration office arrested 11 Malawians for various Immigration related offences. They were arrested during a mini-clean-up operation and screening is underway,” he said.
In Solwezi, the Immigration arrested 2 Chinese for unlawful stay and another for failing to observe the conditions of employment permits.
The same office also arrested two Zimbabweans and two Tanzanians for trading without permits, while six Rwandese Refugees were apprehended for being found outside a refugee camp without authority and trading without permits.
From the courts, Mr Nshinka said the Livingstone Magistrate Court on Thursday sentenced Mark Evans Gill, 54, a British to a fine of K15, 000 or in default 9 months simple imprisonment for failing to comply with terms of the notice requiring him to appear before an immigration officer.
This is contrary to section 14 (2) as read with section 56(1) of the Immigration and Deportation Act number 18 of 2010.
The same court also sentenced Felix Ndhlovu, 29, a Zimbabwean to a fine of K 6, 000 or in default 9 months simple imprisonment for remaining in Zambia without a permit.
“In the same Court Bokani Nyoni, 24, a Zimbabwean female was sentenced to a fine of K1, 000 or in default 9 months simple imprisonment for a similar offence,” he said.
He said the Lusaka Magistrate court sentenced a Zimbabwean to a fine of K 1,000 or in default 6 months simple imprisonment for unlawful stay.
The same court also sentenced a Ugandan to a fine of K 1,000 or in default 6 months simple imprisonment for a similar offence.