The Department of Immigration in Zambia has deported 48 Ethiopian nationals, while 19 have been convicted.

Among those deported are 39 Ethiopian nationals who were apprehended on 23rd November last year in Kapiri Mposhi District after being discovered concealed in a fuel tanker. 

Following their apprehension, the suspects were jointly charged, appeared before the Magistrates' Court and were convicted and fined for the offence of failure to appear before an immigration officer.

The court imposed various fines, which the convicted individuals paid.

Upon completion of the court process and settlement of the imposed fines, the Department proceeded to effect their deportation from the country. 

Zambia's Immigration Department's Acting Public Relations Officer, Mwila Sumbukeni, explained that the remaining nine Ethiopian nationals were removed after being found in contravention of the immigration laws and were subsequently processed for removal in line with the established procedures. 

Meanwhile, the Chongwe Immigration Office also deported a total of ten foreign nationals, including eight Pakistanis and two Bangladeshis, after they paid court-imposed fines for offences committed under the Immigration and Deportation Act.

On the same day, the Immigration Headquarters secured three convictions involving two Burundian nationals and one Tanzanian national for failing to appear before an immigration officer and unlawful stay.

The Lusaka Regional Immigration Office also secured the conviction of nine Pakistani nationals for the offences of failure to appear before an immigration officer and unlawful stay.

Further, the Serenje Immigration Office secured convictions of seven Pakistani nationals who were convicted and fined in default to one month of simple imprisonment for the offences of failure to appear before an immigration officer and unlawful stay, bringing the total number of convicted Pakistanis to 16.