CHARLES MUSONDA writes
A GHANAIAN national on Tuesday wept in court after Lusaka Magistrate Sylvia Munyinya convicted him for concealing his nationality.
This was after Isaac Dela told the court that facts read out to him were true and he did not wish to add or substitute anything.
Facts before court were that on February 24, 2019 at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, Dela presented a Malta passport number 3772117 to an immigration officer purporting to show that he was a citizen of Malta when in fact not.
But the officer interviewed Dela and he admitted that he was a Ghanaian and not a Maltese citizen.
After being satisfied that the facts had disclosed the offence, Ms. Munyinya found Dela guilty and convicted him accordingly.
He told the court that he was “very sorry and I promise that this will never happen again.”
“I recently received a call that my mother had died,” Dela said before breaking down in the dock.
Ms. Munyinya however fined Dela K2, 000 or two months imprisonment in default after considering that he is the first offender who readily admitted the charge and as such he was entitled to lenience.
In the same court, a Burundian national pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in trade without a permit.
Before court was Fabrice Uwimana, 33, who admitted engaging in trade as a shopkeeper in One Family Shop situated along Augustine Lungu Road off Kasama Road in Chalala area without any permit or lawful authority, on February 23, 2019.
He did not have any form of identification and he was detained. He is a recognised refugee from Maheba refuge settlement but since he was found engaged in gainful employment without a valid permit, he had a case to answer as per immigration laws.
Asked by the court if he had any lawful justification or authority for his actions, Uwimana said he obtained a gate pass to enable him look for some piece works.
The case comes up tomorrow for facts and possible sentencing.
