MULENGA MUSONDA writes
THE Nakonde Magistrates Court has convicted and fined two Tanzanian Farmers for entering into Zambia illegally.
William Lugenge 40 and Ishmaeli Hassan 32 Farmers of Mupemba in Tanzania stood charged with failing to appear before the nearest Immigration Officer.
Particulars of the offence are that the two separately, being Tanzanian nationals entered Zambia and failed to appear before the nearest Immigration officer at the point of entry or such designated point.
The two were apprehended on 21 July 2020 in Nakonde district of Muchinga Province.
When the two appeared for Facts before Resident Magistrate George Banda, they without coercion admitted that the statement read by the state was a true reflection of what happened.
According to Facts on record, the two were apprehended separately by Immigration Officers on board a Bus heading to Lusaka.
Upon checking their documents, officers discovered that the two had not gone through the immigration.
The two were apprehended and taken to Nakonde Police where they were formally charged and arrested for the subject offence.
Despite the two pleading for lenience and the fact that they were first offenders, Magistrate Banda noted that cases of such nature have become rampant in the district and hence punishments needed to to be stiffened in order to deter would be offenders.
He fined the two K7,000 each to be paid on or before August 6, 2020 and in default to spend 9 months simple imprisonment.
