15-05-2021 – The Lusaka Regional Immigration Office has secured the conviction of a 23 year old male Zambian casual worker of Emmasdale, Lusaka for forging an Immigration Identity Card contrary to section 52(4)(b) as read with section 56(1) of the Immigration and Deportation Act No. 18 of 2010 of the Laws of Zambia. Particulars of the offence are that Falarge George Chipango on dates unknown but between 1st January and 5th April, 2021 forged an immigration identity card. The convict was taken to North Gate Police Post by alert members of the public after he was found at Kabanana Market wearing an immigration coat, masquerading as an Immigration Officer. He was later handed over to Immigration. In his possession were two (02) Immigration Identity Cards, one (01) Council Identity Card, a National Registration Card and a Voters Card. He appeared before the Lusaka Magistrate Court on 10th May, 2021 and was convicted and sentenced to 46 months imprisonment with hard labour.
Similarly, the Livingstone Regional Immigration Office on 12th May, 2021 secured the conviction of a Zambian business man for aiding an illegal immigrant into Zambia contrary to section 46(1)(a) of the Immigration and Deportation Act No. 18 of 2010 of the Laws of Zambia. Mubila Event (31), a resident of Murewa, Zimbabwe was arrested on 4th November, 2020 at Victoria Falls Border Control for aiding Dumisani Tshuma and Ndlovu Bernard, both Zimbabwean nationals to enter into Zambia illegally. He was convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of K 60,000 or in default 2 years simple imprisonment.
Further, the Ndola Regional Immigration Office on 11th May, 2021 secured the conviction of a 42 year old Zambian farmer of Masaiti District for harbouring foreign nationals contrary to section 46(1)(b)(viii) as read with section 46(2) of the Immigration and Deportation Act No. 18 of 2010 of the Laws of Zambia. Particulars of the offence are that Stephen Mangware on dates unknown but between 2019 and 1st April, 2021 in Masaiti haboured Mumba Feston and Rodrick Kunda, Congolese nationals contrary to the Laws of Zambia. Stephen Mangware engaged the illegal immigrants to work as cattle herders at his farm. He appeared before the Magistrate Court in Ndola on 11th May, 2021 and was convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of K 4,000 or in default 12 months simple imprisonment. He has since paid the fine.
These court outcomes bring the total number of convictions secured by the Department between 7th April 2021 and 13th May 2021 to forty-four (44). The nationalities involved were twelve (12) Congolese, nine (09) Tanzanians, seven (07) Zimbabweans, three (03) Burundians, Malawians, Rwandese, and Zambians. Others were two (02) Ugandans and one (01) Somali.
During this period the Department also removed two hundred and ninety-five (295) illegal immigrants from the country, and apprehended one hundred and thirty (130) persons for various immigration offences. Those removed were seventy-four (74) Burundians, fifty-three (53) Tanzanians, forty-two (42) Ethiopians and thirty-nine (39) Malawians. Others were twenty (20) Rwandese, seven (07) Zimbabweans, five (05) Ugandans, four (04) Somalis and one (01) Ghanaian.
We wish to encourage members of the public with information of an individual, business, or employer who may be aiding and abetting illegal immigrants to contact the Department of Immigration. Further, members of the public are reminded that should they have doubts about the true identity of any Immigration Officer, they have the right to request for the Officer’s identification and if they still suspect any encounter with a purported Officer to be unlawful, they can contact the nearest Immigration Office.
