Security officials at Nakonde border post in Northern Province have arrested a senior immigration officer for allegedly aiding prohibited immigrants to enter the country.
Northern division police commanding officer Charles Lungu has confirmed the arrest of Geoffrey Sakala, an immigration officer-in-charge based at the Mbala office.
Mr. Lungu told ZANIS in Nakonde today that Sakala was arrested yesterday at Wulongo police check point in Nakonde with four Somali nationals in his Toyota Corona car registration number ABT 3015.
“Yes I can confirm to you that we are holding a senior immigration officer at our Nakonde police station cells. The officer identified as Geoffrey Sakala was arrested yesterday for aiding prohibited immigrants to enter the country,” Mr. Lungu said.
Sakala, who was transferred to Mbala office about seven months ago from Nakonde border control post, allegedly picked the prohibited immigrants from a Tanzanian border town of Tunduma into Zambia using illegal routes.The prohibited immigrants were on their way to Lusaka.
He said Sakala has since been charged with one count of aiding prohibited immigrants and would appear in court tomorrow November, 16, 2009, before magistrate John Kajiko Njapau.
Mr. Lungu added that the four prohibited immigrants are also detained at Nakonde police station and would be dealt with by the department of the immigration. A security official who declined to be named said Sakala’s vehicle was almost shot at by the police as he attempted to escape the drag net.
“We would have opened fire on the officer because he failed to stop at the police check point. We were suspicious of what he was carrying in his tinted personal car. He realised after driving for some distance that things were not okay. We were charging towards his car so he stopped,” the security officer said.
Over 100 Somali nationals have been arrested at Nakonde border this year alone as they attempt to enter the country illegally. Some have been prosecuted in the courts of law, fined and deported back to their country of origin while others are still appearing in court on the same charges.
Meanwhile, the Northern division police chief has disclosed that police have made progress in having the three suspects behind the ruthless killing of a Nakonde taxi driver extradited back to Zambia to stand trial.
Mr. Lungu said the three Tanzanian nationals who are still in custody will be extradited to Zambia through the International Police (INTERPOL).
Kelvin Wusiku, 26, of Nakonde’s Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) customs compound was brutally murdered in September this year and his car stolen. The suspects were later apprehended at Vwawa in Mbozi district of Tanzania, about 30 km from Nakonde border.
The car has also been recovered.
ZANIS
Check national registration and passport officers too!
I wonder how much these senior officers get per month for them to risk their jobs like that? It must be quite meagre, or else they’re really dumb.
Rumour has it he is a “Pastor” as well! Ba Pastor!
As the saying goes “Not all days are sundays” This officer mighty have started this alongtime ago and i wonder how many immigrants he has assisted in this similar way. Obviously there is big money
November 16 2009, that’s an old case