The Isoka Immigration Office has apprehended a 44-year-old Tanzanian truck driver, Brayson Joackim Ngonyani and seven undocumented Ethiopian nationals aged between 16 and 20 in a suspected case of smuggling of migrants, following a routine inspection.
They were nabbed at around 06:50 hours at the Mwaiseni Checkpoint in a Lusaka-bound Howo Truck and Trailer Tanzanian Registration numbers T 447DPA and T836DPC belonging to Lumumba Transport Limited of Dar Es Salaam, which was being driven by Ngonyani.
Immigration Public Relations Officer, Namati Nshinka says the Officers found the seven undocumented Ethiopians concealed in an improvised wooden compartment near the Truck’s chassis.
In a statement issued to RCV News in Lusaka today, Mr. Nshinka said they are currently detained pending further investigations.
And Mr. Nshinka said the Lusaka Regional Immigration Office on 24th May, 2024 undertook a mass removal exercise aimed at decongesting the correctional facilities involving 56 illegal immigrants.
He said those removed were 24 Burundian, 21 Congolese, five Tanzanians, five Rwandese and one Ugandan.
“Similarly, the Chipata Regional Immigration Office on the same day removed nine Malawians after they received Presidential Pardons on Africa Public Service Day. The Lusaka and Chipata exercises brought the number of removals across the country to 118. The Department of Immigration between 24th and 26th May, 2024 apprehended fifty-seven persons of different nationalities for various immigration offences countrywide and refused seven foreign nationals entry, “ said Mr. Nshinka.
By Eva Hatontola
