18th June, 2024
The Lusaka Regional Immigration Office yesterday apprehended 45 suspected illegal immigrants in a cleanup operation.
In a statement today, Immigration Department Public Relations Officer Namati Nshinka said those nabbed during the operation which covered Chaisa, SOS, Matero, Chilenje, Bauleni and Ibex Hill were 41 Burundians, two Egyptians and two Rwandese nationals.
Mr. Nshinka said they all failed to produce documentary proof of legal immigration status and are currently detained pending further screening.
The immigration Department Public Relations Officer stated that the operation is part of ongoing enforcement measures aimed at ridding the City of illegal Immigrants.
Mr. Nshinka added that a similar operation was conducted on 11th June, 2024 in Ndola’s Chipulukusu, Mitengo, Pamodzi and Kansenshi during which 15 Congolese nationals were apprehended.
He said the Lusaka and Ndola operations brought the number of persons apprehended for various immigration offences between 10th and 17th June, 2024 to 297.
Meanwhile, Mr. Nshinka revealed that the Mpika Immigration Office on 11th June, 2024 secured the conviction of a 36-year-old Burundian who was charged with unlawful stay.
He said Shane Harerimana was sentenced to pay a fine of K 25,000 or in default nine months simple imprisonment.
Mr. Nshinka noted that Harerimana was nabbed on 4th June, 2024 off a Lusaka-bound Public Service Bus along the Nakonde-Lusaka road after he failed to produce documentation to prove his legal immigration status when requested by Immigration Officers.
He explained that the Officers had mounted a checkpoint to check the immigration status of travelers. On the same day, a 45-year-old Congolese Tshimanka Kwigomba was apprehended in a similar manner and was convicted and sentenced him to pay a fine of K 25,000- or nine-months simple imprisonment.
Mr. Nshinka said the Mpika court outcomes brought the number of convictions secured by the Department of Immigration between 10th and 17th June, 2024 to 94.
In addition, Mr. Nshinka stated that the Department of Immigration between 10th and 17th June, 2024 removed 157 illegal immigrants of different nationalities from the country, including 22 Ethiopians removed on 16th June, 2024 via Kenneth Kaunda International Airport after paying court fines for various immigration offences.
