By ALICE NACHILEMBE
The Kasumbalesa Immigration Office has apprehended 20 suspected illegal immigrants during a routine operation conducted within Kasumbalesa.
Immigrations Public Relations Officer Namati Nshinka said those detained pending screening were 14 Congolese nationals, Three Tanzanians, One Burundian and Two Zambians. The Zambians were picked for obstruction.
Mr Nhsinka said the number of persons apprehended for various immigration offences between January 21 and 27, 2022 has come to 84.
Meanwhile, the Department of Immigration in Lusaka has secured a two year jail sentence of a 40 year old 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, respectively.
Mr Nshinka said he unlawfully returned to and illegally entered into Zambia, unlawfully staying in the country from January, 2021 the time he was deported until December 21, 2021 when he was handed-over to Immigration by Police.
Similarly the Ndola Regional Immigration Office on January 24, 2022 secured the conviction of Jeff Ngongang Nana, a 26 year old Cameroonian professional footballer plying his trade at Indeni Football Club, for unlawful stay
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.
A careful inspection of his passport indicated that he had left the country on August 20, 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.
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 January 24, 2022 also secured the conviction of a 28 year old Tanzanian national Paulo Kelembu Lotmoruo for the offence of unlawful
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 January 21 to 27, 2022 to 46.
Mr Nshinka said during this same period the Department also removed 53 illegal immigrants from the country and refused 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” he said.
