24-09-2022 – The Department of Immigration in Lusaka, on 21st September 2022, removed seventy (70) Ethiopians from the country. They were removed via Kenneth Kaunda International Airport after being arrested for illegal entry and unlawful stay. This was the largest group to be removed since the exercise began on 8th September 2022, and brings the total number of Ethiopians removed since the start of the exercise to Two-Hundred and Twenty-Six (226). The removals are part of an ongoing exercise aimed at reducing the number of Ethiopians detained at various Correctional Facilities across the country. The removal of the 70 Ethiopians brings the number of persons of different nationalities removed between 19th and 22nd September 2022 to One-Hundred and Thirty-One (131).
Meanwhile, the Serenje Immigration Office has secured the conviction of eleven (11) Ethiopians for failing to appear before an Immigration Officer. The Ethiopians and six (6) other Bangladeshis were handed over to Immigration after being apprehended by the Police on 29th August 2022. Subsequent investigations revealed that although they had valid passports, they did not have entry endorsements, indicating that they did not appear before an Immigration Officer on entry. The eleven (11) Ethiopians appeared before the court on 20th September 2022, where they were convicted and each sentenced to pay a fine of K 1,000 or, in default, two (2) months simple imprisonment. The six (6) Bangladeshi were earlier convicted for a similar offence and are currently serving their sentences. The case of the Zambian driver arrested for aiding and abetting the Bangladeshis and Ethiopians is ongoing. The Serenje convictions bring the number of convictions secured by the Department between 19th and 22nd September 2022 to Forty-Two (42).
During this period, the Department of Immigration apprehended Two-Hundred and Sixteen (216) persons, Sixty-Seven (67) of whom were arrested during the Interpol-led Usalama VIII Joint operation conducted in Lusaka and Ndola from 19th to 21st September 2022. The Department also refused Twenty-Three (23) foreign nationals entry into Zambian for failing to meet various entry requirements.
