Man jailed two years with hard labour for aiding illegal immigrants

THE Chinsali Magistrate Court has convicted and sentenced Jehoshia Suwilanji Mulambia aged 25, a driver of Barlastone in Lusaka, to two years imprisonment with hard labour for aiding and abetting illegal immigrants, contrary to the Immigration and Deportation Act, Chapter 123 of the Laws of Zambia.

Department of Immigration Chief Public Relations Officer, Namati Nshinka, says the conviction follows investigations into the apprehension of 16 Ethiopian nationals who were intercepted by Immigration officers at the Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Toll Plaza in Chinsali on April 20, 2026, adding that the prohibited immigrants were found after a Toyota Quantum bus registration number CAL 4578 ZM was abandoned by its occupants.

Mr. Nshinka said that investigations established that Mulambia, acting together with other accomplices, facilitated the transportation of 29 Ethiopian nationals from Nakonde towards Lusaka using a silver Hiace bus.

“Along the journey, 10 of the migrants were transferred into a black Pajero Shogun registration number BBA 4889, while the remaining 19 continued in the Hiace and following a road traffic accident involving the Hiace in the Sansamwenje area of Isoka, Mulambia hired the Toyota Quantum bus from Lusaka to continue transporting the remaining immigrants,” said Mr. Nshinka.

Mr. Nshinka however said that immigration officers in Isoka detected the vehicle and pursued it to Chinsali, where the suspects abandoned both the bus and the prohibited immigrants before fleeing.

He said that subsequent investigations led to the apprehension of Mulambia and two others with whom he was charged with aiding and abetting illegal immigrants adding that the two co-accused were later acquitted by the court.

Ends.