The Department for Immigration has apprehended four males of different nationalities for unlawful entry and work in Zambia contrary to Act number 18 of 2010 of the laws of Zambia.
Department for Immigration Public Relations Officer Namati Nshinka identified one of the offenders as Laison Mbewe, a Malawian male aged 38 years old , who was arrested on September 2,2021 in Chibolya Compound in Katete District following a tip off from the concerned members of the public.
He indicated that this was after it was established that he had returned to Zambia after having been removed from the country on November 29, 2016 after serving a sentence for unlawful stay in Zambia.
‘’He appeared before the Magistrate court in Katete on September 13, 2021 and was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment without an option of a fine,’’ said Mr Nshinka.
In a similar incident the Kalomo Immigration office convicted a Zimbabwean plumber identified as Samson Nkonyane aged 41 years old, for unlawful entry into Zambia.
Mr Nshinka stated that he was arrested on September 13, 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. He was sentenced to pay a fine of K 60,000 or in default 12 months simple imprisonment,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the Ndola Regional Immigration Office has convicted two foreign nationals for failing to comply with terms and conditions of their Employment Permits.
Mr Nshinka identified one of the offenders as Yueming Yan, a 48 year old Chinese male, who 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.
‘’And another Chinese male Jianqing Guo, 47 years old was also 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 explained.
Mr Nshinka stated that both offenders appeared before the Magistrate Court in Ndola on September 13, 2021.
‘’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.
Mr Nshinka has however, encouraged 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.
This is contained in a statement made available to the media yesterday by Department for Immigration Office Public Relations Officers Namati Nshinka.
Similar cases yet different charges and fines, just wondering how they work out that. ON the other hand, SADC region needs to work out how people in the region can easily apply for work permit within the regions to avoid these unnecessary crimes which are basically meant to hurt no body. The processes and bureaucracy involved is too complicated and makes people want to make short cuts instead. For the Chinese, the law needs to be very clear and impose maximum sentences to serve as warning and example to would be law breakers.
Why don’t immigration check white skinned people and not just Asians and our fellow black people. How can it be illegal for a Malawian to be in Zambia? The White man divided us and we played along. It’s more illegal for a Mr Smith to be here than a mbewe…. It’s so sad how we still have the slave and master mentality!!! White men are feared!!! Such a shame!!!!