By IREEN MULENGA
The Katete Immigration office has secured the conviction of a 38 year-old male Malawian national Laison Mbewe for the offence of unlawful return to Zambia, contrary to section 36(5) of the Immigration and Deportation Act No.18 of 2010 of the Laws of Zambia.
Public Relations Officer Namati Nshinka said that Mr Mbewe was arrested on 2nd September, in Chibolya Compound in Katete District following a tip-off from concerned members of the public.
“It was established that Mr Mbewe had returned to Zambia having been removed from the country on 29th November, 2016 after serving a sentence for unlawful stay in Zambia. He appeared before the Magistrate Court in Katete on 13th September, 2021 and was convicted and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment without an option of a fine” he said.
Mr Nshinka said that similarly, the Kalomo Immigration Office on 14th September, 2021 also secured the conviction of a 41-year-old male Zimbabwean plumber Samson Nkonyane, for the offence of unlawful entry into Zambia contrary to section 11(2) as read with section 56(1) of the Immigration and Deportation Act No. 18 of 2010 of the Laws of Zambia.
He was arrested on 13th September, 2021 at Tara Council Checkpoint in Kalomo aboard a Lusaka-bound public service bus. This was after he failed to produce documentation legalizing his entry into Zambia.
Mr Nshinka said that he was sentenced to pay a fine of K 60,000 or in default 12 months simple imprisonment.
Meanwhile, the Ndola Regional Immigration Office has secured convictions of two (02) foreign nationals for failing to comply with terms and conditions of their Employment Permits.
Mr Nshinka said that they were among the thirteen (13) persons apprehended during an operation conducted at Eagles Eye Transformation Limited at Lonshi in Ndola.
“Yueming Yan, a 48 year old male Chinese was arrested after being found working at Eagles Eye Transformation Limited when his Employment Permit was issued under Mineral Junction and Transport based in Kitwe while another Chinese male Jianqing Guo (47) was arrested for a similar offence after he was also found working at Eagles Eye Transformation Limited despite his Employment Permit having been issued under ASTOR Investment, also based in Kitwe,” he said.
Mr Nshinka said that both appeared before the Magistrate Court in Ndola on 13th September, 2021 were Yueming Yan was sentenced to pay a fine of K 40,000 or in default 9 months simple imprisonment while Jianqing Guo was sentenced to pay a fine of K 3,000 or in default 9 months simple imprisonment.
he said that the rest of those apprehended, among them ten Chinese and one Indian were cleared after producing proof of legal immigration status. This brings the number of convictions secured by the Department of Immigration between 13th and 14th September, 2021 to twenty-six (26).
“During this same period the Department also apprehended fifty-eight (58) persons for various immigration offences and removed twenty-two (22) illegal immigrants from the country.
“The Department wishes to encourage members of the general public with information of an individual, business, or employer who may be aiding and abetting illegal immigrants to contact the Department of Immigration,” he said.
