By Isaac Zulu
A 34-year old Tanzanian national has been fined K5000 in default serve six months simple imprisonment for entering the country with a forged passport.
Before Kapiri Mposhi magistrate Brenda Chiganda was Amon Omar Songo, a Tanzanian national.
It was alleged that on January 24, 2024 Songo gained entry into Zambia using a forged passport contrary to the Immigration Laws.
Brief facts before court were that on January, 24 Immigration officers were manning the Luanshimba check point, monitoring immigration compliance levels and, in the process, came across a bus that was coming from Nakonde to Lusaka via Kapiri Mposhi district and when the said bus was intercepted and a search conducted on the occupants, it was revealed that Amon Omar Songo had used a forged passport to gain entry into Zambia.
When the matter came up before court, Songo pleaded guilty to the charge.
He asked the court to exercise maximum leniency on him, saying he was a first offender and had a family to look after.
But public prosecutor Alex Cheelo pointed out that Songo had no lawful excuse to enter the country using a forged passport.
Passing judgment, magistrate Chiganda observed that cases of foreign nationals entering Zambia, via Kapiri Mposhi district were becoming common; hence the need for the court to mete out a custodial sentence against the offender.
Magistrate Chiganda then fined Songo K5,000 in default serve six months simple imprisonment.
Before the same court, a 25-year-old man was appearing for concealing his personal identity and country of origin.
Gerald Ngowi, a Burundi national, concealed his identity and used a Tanzanian passport bearing the name of Stephano Kambali, which was contrary to the Immigration Laws.
When the matter came up, the accused readily admitted the charge.
But public prosecutor Cheelo pointed out that Kambali was a second offender, who was convicted in Kabwe for a similar offence.
The matter comes up on February 5, for presentation of the previous conviction record.
