By ALICE NACHILEMBE
A-39-year-old man of Ndola has been fine K60, 000 for assisting a Congolese nation to obtain the National Registration card (NRC).
The Ndola Regional Immigration Office secured the conviction of Sam Silweya a businessman of Minsundu, for the offence of aiding and abetting a foreign national in acquiring a National Registration Card.
Immigrations Public Relations Officer Namati Nshinka said Mr Silweya was arrested on September 14, 2021 at the National Registration Office in Ndola for assisting a Congolese national to obtain an NRC by acting as his deponent.
Mr Nshinka said, he appeared before the Magistrate Court in Ndola on September 20, 2021 where he was sentenced to pay a fine of K 60,000 or in default 9 months simple imprisonment.
Meanwhile, the Kaputa Immigration Office on September 21, 2021 secured convictions of three (Congolese nationals, John Kisimbi 22, John Musonda 25, and John Mutembo 31, for the offences of failing to appear before an Immigration Officer, unlawful stay in Zambia and obtaining National Registration Cards by false pretenses.
Particulars are that on dates unknown but between January 1, 2015 and September 16, 2021 , in separate incidents, the trio entered Zambia without appearing before an Immigration Officer, remained in the country without valid permits and also obtained NRCs pretending to be Zambians, when in fact not.
They appeared before the Magistrate Court in Kaputa on September 21, 2021 and were each sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour for each count of failing to appear before an Immigration Officer and unlawful stay in Zambia.
In the count of obtaining National Registration Cards by false pretences, they were each sentenced to 6 months imprisonment with hard labour.
This brings the number of convictions secured by the Department between September 20 and 22, 2021 to sixty-three (63).
Meanwhile, the Ndola Regional Immigration Office on September 21, 2021 in a routine operation apprehended eighteen 18 persons for various offences.
In a similar operation also conducted on the same date in Lusaka’s Makeni, Chawama and Town Centre, the Lusaka Regional Immigration Office apprehended fourteen 14 persons for various offences.
During this same period the Department also removed twenty-eight illegal immigrants from the country and refused six foreign nationals entry into Zambia for failing to meet entry requirements.
Mr Nshinka said citizens are being reminded of the legal consequences associated with assisting anyone who does not qualify for national documents of identity such as the National Registration Card and Passports.
He said it is irresponsible and unpatriotic to assist any person who does not legally qualify for these important documents to obtain them.
“Our Officers across the country continue being on high alert to detect documents of national identity suspected to have been obtained fraudulently, he said.
