06-07-2024 – The Samfya Immigration Office on 3rd July, 2024 secured the conviction of Mr. Pascal Chama, a 25-year-old Zambian of Chief Mibenge’s Chitambala Village for aiding and abetting a 51-year-old Congolese. Pascal Chama was sentenced to pay a fine of K 80,000 or twelve months simple imprisonment. He was apprehended on 19th June, 2024 for assisting Mr. Yumba Kyabutakou, an undocumented Congolese national, to sell a motor bike and conduct traditional healing practices, by offering him interpretation services. The duo was found at a house belonging to Friday Bwalya (44) following a tip-off from a concerned member of the public. The Samfya Magistrate Court also convicted and sentenced the Congolese to a fine of K15,000 or twelve months simple imprisonment for conducting business without a permit. Meanwhile, Friday Bwalya was also arrested and charged with harbouring. His case will come up for continuation of trial on 15th July, 2024. Meanwhile, the motor bike was also forfeited to the state.
Further, the Luanshya Immigration Office on 28th June, 2024 secured the conviction of a 47-year-old Russian of Lusaka’s Foxdale for staying in Zambia unlawfully for over three years. Aleksandr Mazurov was sentenced to pay a fine of K 25,000 or nine months simple imprisonment. He was apprehended on 21st June, 2024 by Immigration Officers at the Fisenge Checkpoint in a hired Lusaka-bound Toyota Allion after he failed to produce proof of legal immigration status in Zambia. Investigations revealed that he once held an Employment Permit under Leocor Zambia Limited as a Geologist which expired on 19th May, 2018. He later applied for a Spouse Permit in 2020 which was rejected on 1st June, 2021 after which he stayed in the country unlawfully until the date of his arrest. He has since paid the court fine and will soon be removed from the Country.
Furthermore, the Kafue Immigration Office on 28th June, 2024 secured the convictions of sixteen illegal immigrants for various immigration offences. Five Zimbabweans, two Tanzanians, One Congolese and One Ugandan were convicted for illegal entry and were sentenced to pay fines of between K 4,000 and K 5,000 or serve seven months simple imprisonment. Four Burundians and one Zimbabwean were convicted for illegal entry and unlawful stay and each fined K 11,000 or six months simple imprisonment while two Burundians were convicted and each sentenced to pay a fine of K 4,000 or seven months simple imprisonment for unlawful stay.
The Samfya, Luanshya and Kafue court outcomes brought the number of convictions secured by the Department between 28th June and 4th July, 2024 to 47. During this period the Department apprehended 204 persons for various immigration offences countrywide, removed 75 illegal immigrants from the country and refused entry to four persons for failing to meet entry requirement.