Reported by: S. Ernest.
Date: 17th February, 2025.
Kabwe, Zambia.
A coordinated effort between the Kabwe Community Crime Preventive Unit, the Immigration Department, and the police led to the arrest of three individuals for impersonating public officers.
The suspects, all Zambian nationals, were detained by the Kabwe Regional Immigration Office after being caught attempting to extort money and goods from a Burundian shop owner.
Fredrick Ngoma (18), Frank Tembo (20), and Joseph Musonda (24), all residents of Wire Compound, allegedly posed as Immigration Officers conducting field operations.
They demanded K500 and groceries from the shop owner, threatening him with arrest if he failed to comply. However, their scheme was thwarted when the victim alerted the local Community Crime Preventive Unit.
Officers swiftly responded, apprehending the suspects and handing them over to Chowa Police Station before Immigration authorities took over for further investigation.
In a separate operation, the Lusaka Regional Immigration Office conducted a routine compliance check on February 14, 2025, leading to the apprehension of 32 suspected illegal immigrants in Matero, SOS, and the Light Industrial Area.
The group included 13 Burundians, eight Congolese, two Chinese, two Indians, and seven Somali nationals. Five individuals—three Somalis and two Chinese nationals—were later released upon payment for Temporary Permits.
Meanwhile, in Kafue District, an immigration compliance exercise resulted in the arrest of 25 undocumented individuals, all males aged between 17 and 45. The suspects are currently held at Kafue Police Station as immigration formalities and legal proceedings continue.
In a separate case, the Lusaka Magistrate Court on February 17, 2025, convicted and sentenced a 20-year-old Malawian national, Yankho Phiri, to a fine of K24,000 or, in default, nine months of simple imprisonment.
Phiri was arrested on January 15, 2025, in Kalingalinga, where he was found working illegally as a tailor without proper documentation. Investigations revealed that he had entered Zambia unlawfully on October 5, 2024, and had remained in the country without legal status.
Between February 14 and 17, 2025, the Department of Immigration apprehended 189 individuals across the country for various immigration offenses. During this period, authorities secured 37 convictions, deported 49 illegal immigrants, and denied entry to six foreign nationals who failed to meet immigration requirements.
The Department of Immigration continues to intensify its enforcement operations to ensure compliance with immigration laws, urging the public to report any suspicious activities related to unlawful entry or residency.
The Agency