The Immigration department says it has commenced disciplinary action against two of its officers who are based at Kariba border post in Siavonga district, Southern Province for allegedly being involved in corrupt practices.
The officers Patience Matubulani and Manyando Mubita are alleged to have been assisting and facilitating the trafficking of Congolese nationals enter the country illegally without proper documentation to cross into Zimbabwe using Kariba border post en route to South Africa after receiving payment.
Acting Chief Immigration Officer Anderson Phiri said the two officers have since been charged and that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against them.
Mr. Phiri said in an interview with ZANIS in Siavonga on Tuesday that the department has received valid evidence on the matter and that disciplinary action will immediately be taken once investigations are concluded.
“We have all the evidence with us involving the two officers from Kariba border post who were assisting in the trafficking of the Congolese who go to South Africa to leave the country using the border after receiving money from the same nationals,” he disclosed.
Mr. Phiri added that the evidence came from the middle man whom the Immigration officers were using to help facilitate and arrange the movements of the Congolese from Lusaka to Siavonga.
“The department has in its custody a man called Jameson Mumba whom the officers were using as a middle man to facilitate the movement of these Congolese nationals. The evidence we got from other security wings is that one of the officers after having differences with Mumba on money that was collected from the Congolese decided to apprehend and drag him to Siavonga police station,” Phiri revealed.
The Immigration Chief further added that it was at this point that the department got wind of the situation and made inquiries into the matter before charging the officers with misconduct and abetting crime contrary to their conditions of service.
Mr Phiri however described as sad that officers who have been mandated and tasked by Government to protect and prevent the illegal entry of foreign nationals into the country were the ones doing the contrary.
“Government sends these officers to border towns in order to stop any movement of people that have no valid traveling documents and not for them to be in the forefront assisting the entry and exit of prohibited immigrants,” he observed.
He further described the behavior of the two Kariba border post based officers as regrettable saying their actions compromises and puts the security of the country at risk.
” The behavior of such officers should not be entertained because they have proved and shown their weakness that they can be compromised as long as there is money involved. With this kind of behavior don’t you expect such officers to allow criminals to enter the country once they are given money?, he questioned.
In this vein, he assured that the current reforms that the department has embarked on will rid all sorts of corruption and other evil vices that may still exist within the department.
He said the reforms whose powers have already been felt by officers operating at the headquarters office in Lusaka have since reached an extent where officers can longer afford to play hide and seek.
Phiri said the reforms were aimed at cleansing the department from any form of corruption and ensure transparency in whatever the officers do.
“Signs are there that the officers are willing to change their lifestyles especially in Lusaka where the officers have already started cleansing themselves from all sorts of bad vices,. Corruption in the Immigration department will soon be a thing of the past, “ he assured.
To this effect, Mr Phiri disclosed that a disciplinary committee consisting of section heads has since been instituted and will handle disciplinary cases involving officers countrywide.
Recently, two other immigration officers from Kariba border post were arrested and detained by authorities in Zimbabwe after they attempted to smuggle out of that country about 4.5 tonnes of fresh fish a commodity whose export to neighboring countries, Government had banned.
The officers in question have since been forcefully transferred from Siavonga to other stations.
ZANIS/ENDS/LL/CLM
The laws are getting tougher.
Immigration department is very corrupt. Ask any foreigner living in Zambia. Especially indians, chinese, muzungus, etc. Its about they also started feeling the wrath of the law when they go against it!
oh no :o:o:o
Criminal Minds are a product of a bad Economy!! I am not surprised [-([-([-(
Our own leaders do even worse!!
4 Comments in 1 Hour!!
Where are the people? :o:o
Try making a sensible comment.
Hope it wont end up as an epty threat, we want to see credible court cases commencing. why threaten action instead of taking the matter to court quickly, they claim they have solid evidence so why wait???
There are so many corrupt officers at the immigration dept. Nice that they are being caught one by one..
So bossy when you are at the border/airport, so much at their Mercy!!!
!
no kind words from me , sorrry, nooo!!! :o:o:o:o:-t:-t
Officers caught in another country in illegal practices, and all you do is transfer them to another station – some justice this is?
lets see
The best remedy is to find out what motivates them to be involved in corrupt practices, work on it and it can be a good starting point.This can help to minimise the vice.I know it cant be stopped completly.
Its not suprising…corruption, corruption, even our president is corrupt. How do u explain the GMO MAIZE and the mention of his son? Everyone wants to survive because we have lost hope in our politians who are just there to enrich themselves, so what would stop us from soliciting for bribes?
So if the officer didn’t squeal on the middle man, this would have continued? Nonsense…investigate all of them!! x( ifwe we get scrutinised on the basis of looks. Imagine being harassed by immigration in your own country just because you look different and have an accent!~X(
It is bad 4 zem now when it was nice and sweet yesterday. How do you arrest a crimemate sure iwe muntu immigration officer.Look now all of you are dancing cingande of the law worse on you naNCHITO IZASILA.How much did he get from cons :d
The acting imigration officer is my brother, but I want to tell him that this department is the worst in terms of corruption. I will also tell him when he comes home to live upto his worlds. Or else I choose to disassociate with him. Second in corruption is the police chaps.
The names of the 2 officers have been revealed to the world before any disciplinary committee has met. Are they guilty until proven innocent?
Iwe annonymous, please don’t bring that language of the lawyers, at times things are plainly there to see. They will definitely be tried in the courts law, bringing out their names is also good for us so that when we see them or hear their names then we will be runing away from them or at least be prepared for the.
It is all about professionism, before people a allowed to practice what ever they do, they should first be made or taught to appreciate their work and be proud to be Zambians and feel that they are Zambia’s image in whatever they do. A good example is our neighbour Botswana,the immigration and Police officers are near pure from corruption.
I am not feeling well ,
I have uknown disease. :o:o:o:o:o
Ati nichekeleko,
ma officers Patience Matubulani and Manyando Mubita
Take the two officer to Guantanamo Bay , there is plenty of room.They will be looked after, touched, beaten or even shaged.
Welcome to Zed and arrest them or transfer them to different towns especially the remote area 😮
Work extra hard on this issue i have heard a muzungu woman saying i came into Zambia through dubious means by just paying so fellow from a named auditing firm & some immigration officials & i know them.
And this muzungu is the waste racist i have ever seen. coming in the name of investors but she is a just an employee but busy abusing zambian.
Get intouch with me for more………..
Corruption will never end until there are severe punishments for the suspected culprits.Send them to Chimbokaila so that they can cool down and repent in their evil ways.
This is another government wing that stinks with corruption.There many more culprits there,i only wonder what is the job of ACC.This is because you do need to have special training to investigate the cases of corruption in most government wings.These guys drive posh cars,they have bulit mansions,but check thier pay it is nothing to talk about.Moreover,they are not even enganged in any meaningful bussiness.
improve their working conditions please.