By JULIUS PHIRI –
THE Immigration Department, in collaboration with the Zambia Police Service, has arrested 77 Ethiopians in Kabangwe area in Lusaka for unlawful entry and stay.
The team of Police and immigration officers, who were alerted by a concerned citizen, trailed a Toyota Regius, registration number BAA 8152 carrying about 10 Ethiopians.
That led them to a house in Kabangwe where 67 other Ethiopians were discovered.
Of the 77 Ethiopians, 19 had valid Ethiopian passports which did not have any entry endorsements for Zambia while the rest did not have any documentation at the time of the arrests.
Immigration Department public relations officer, Namati Nshinka said the driver of the Toyota Regius, a Zambian, managed to escape.
“The 77 Ethiopians who were arrested are currently detained at Lusaka Central Prison awaiting court appearance,” he said.
Meanwhile, nine Malawians and a Mozambican have been arrested in Chipata.
Mr Nshinka said a Congolese was also arrested in Mansa, while an Egyptian was picked up in Kitwe.
Two Zimbabweans were arrested in Livingstone for unlawful stay.
“Further, at Victoria Falls border control, three Ugandans were arrested for unlawful exit while in Kabwe, a Congolese national was arrested after being found in possession of a green Zambian National Registration Card (NRC),” he said.
In other cases, the Immigration Department last week secured a total of 28 convictions.
Mr Nshinka said among them were 19 Ethiopians and two Zambians convicted by the magistrate’s court in Serenje for consenting to being smuggled and aiding the smuggled persons, respectively.
“The convicts have been committed to the High Court for sentencing,” Mr Nshinka said.
Other convictions included that of an Egyptian in Kitwe, who was fined K500 or in default three months simple imprisonment, for unlawful stay.
The Mansa magistrate’s court convicted and fined a Congolese K3,000, or in default two months simple imprisonment, for unlawful stay.