28-01-2022 – The Kasumbalesa Immigration Office on 26th January, 2022 apprehended twenty (20) suspected illegal immigrants during a routine operation conducted within Kasumbalesa. Those detained pending screening were Fourteen (14) Congolese nationals, Three (03) Tanzanians, One (01) Burundian and Two (02) Zambians. The Zambians were picked for obstruction. This brings the number of persons apprehended for various immigration offences between 21st and 27th January, 2022 to Eighty-Four (84).
Meanwhile, the Department of Immigration in Lusaka has secured the conviction of a 40 year old male Congolese deportee, Alex Makayoko of House Number 886 Matero Lusaka for failing to appear before the nearest Immigration Officer, unlawful stay, and unlawful return to Zambia, contrary to sections 12(2), 11(3) and 27(4) of the Immigration and Deportation Act Number 18 of 2010 of the Laws of Zambia, respectively. He unlawful returned to and illegally entered into Zambian, unlawfully staying in the country from January, 2021 the time he was deported until 21st December, 2021 when he was handed-over to Immigration by Police. This is not the first time the convict is breaching a deportation warrant, having first entered Zambia in 2020 having been deported in 2019. Alex Makayoko appeared before the Lusaka Magistrate Court on 25th January, 2022 where he was convicted and meted a custodial sentence of two (02) years with hard labour, without the option of a fine in all three counts of failing to appear before the nearest Immigration Officer, unlawful stay, and unlawful return to Zambia
Similarly the Ndola Regional Immigration Office on 24th January, 2022 secured the conviction of Jeff Ngongang Nana, a 26 year old Cameroonian professional footballer plying his trade a Indeni Football Club, for unlawful stay in Zambia contrary to section 11(3) as read with section 56(1) of the Immigration and Deportation Act Number 18 of 2010 of the Laws of Zambia. He was apprehended at a house in Mitengo area in Ndola and picked for further investigations, which revealed he had entered the country to work in Zambia as a footballer at Indeni. However, a careful inspection of his passport indicated that he had left the country on 20th August, 2021 when in fact he was still in the country and that he had lodged in an application for an Employment Permit whilst in the country, contrary to the Immigration and Deportation Act. He was sentenced to pay a fine of K 5,000 or in default 6 months imprisonment with hard labour.
The Senanga Immigration Office in Western Province on 24th January, 2022 also secured the conviction of a 28 year old male Tanzanian national Paulo Kelembu Lotmoruo for the offence of unlawful stay contrary to section 11(3) as read with section 56(1) of the Immigration and Deportation Act Number 18 of 2010 of the Laws of Zambia. He was apprehended in Senanga near Mad Max Auto Spares Shop after he failed to produce any document of identity. He later produced a Tanzanian Travel Document AB0991399 which indicated that he had entered the country legally but had overstayed his authority to stay in the country. He was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment with hard labour without the option of a fine. The three court outcomes bring the number of convictions secured by the Department of Immigration between 21st and 27th January, 2022 to Forty-Six (46).
During this same period the Department also removed Fifty-Three (53) illegal immigrants from the country and refused Sixteen (16) foreign nationals who did not meet entry requirements. The Department wishes to warn all foreign nationals planning to visit Zambia for various purposes to do so within the confines and the provisions of the Immigration and Deportation Act. We further wish to warn Football clubs to follow the laid down immigration procedures for engaging foreign players.
