By JULIUS PHIRI –
A CHINGOLA magistrates’ court has fined a Zambian K40,000 for helping a Democratic Republic of the Congo  national to enter the country illegally.
The magistrate court convicted and sentenced Frank Mukupa, 28, of house number 40, Fifth Street, Mindolo West in Kitwe and ordered him to pay a K40,000 fine or be jailed for two years for aiding Kasongo Buari to illegally enter Zambia.
Immigration Department public relations officer Namati Nshinka said in a statement yesterday that Buari was also convicted and sentenced to a fine of K 5,000 or in default one year six months simple imprisonment for unlawful entry.
Meanwhile, the Nakonde subordinate court has convicted Stanley Mwazi Simbaya 33, of Nakonde District for smuggling in persons contrary to section 9(1) of the Anti-human Trafficking Act No. 11.
Mr Nshinka said Simbaya was on December 20, 2014 arrested and charged for the offence of smuggling 26 Ethiopians into Zambia.
“After a prolonged court process which included testimonies from key witnesses including that of an expert witness from a named Mobile service provider which proved that the sim card found in the vehicle used to smuggle the Ethiopians belonged to Simbaya. He was convicted and has since been committed to the High Court for sentencing,” he said.
In a related development, the Chililabombwe magistrates’ court has convicted and sentenced a Congolese national to nine months simple imprisonment for unlawful entry.
Mr Nshinka said two Tanzanian nationals were also convicted and sentenced to fines of K 500 each or in default nine months simple imprisonment for trading without permits in Solwezi.
The department arrested 24 foreigners between Friday and Sunday for various immigration offences.
He said those arrested include 15 Ethiopians intercepted at a check point in Nakonde after failing to produce travel documentation, eight Malawians, who nabbed arrested for unlawful entry into Chipata and a Congolese national arrested in Chingola for a similar offence.
During the same period the Department also removed a total of   67 prohibited immigrants from the country.
47 Tanzanians, two Burundese, two Nigerians and a Somalian were removed by the Lusaka regional immigration office while 15 Tanzanians were removed by the Kitwe immigration office.