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Katete District Magistrate, Prudence Siluka, has sentenced four Malawian nationals for illegal entry into Zambia.
The four, who included a peasant farmer and three fishermen, entered Zambia without legal documentation on different dates this year.
The four, who pleaded guilty without hesitation, asked for leniency from the court, claiming they had come to Zambia to seek financial help from a Catholic priest based in Katete.
Laiton Phiri, 25 of Matutu Village in Malawi, a peasant farmer, was accused of unlawful entry into Zambia contrary to Section 11(2) as read with Section 12 (2) and Section 56 (1) of Act number 18 of 2010.
Particulars of the offence were that on October 27, 2013, Phiri, being a person required by law to appear before an immigration officer when entering Zambia did fail to do so.
Jailos Wilson, a fisherman aged 24, of Mangochi, was also charged with the offence of unlawful entry into Zambia contrary to Section 11(2) as read with Section 12 (2) and Section 56 (1) of Act number 18 of 2010.
It was alleged that Jailos on November 19, 2013, being a foreign national required by law to appear before an immigration officer when entering Zambia did fail to do so.
Jailos in his mitigation told the court that he had come to Zambia to seek financial assistance from a Catholic priest at Mphangwe area in Katete district, adding that his wife was pregnant.
Meanwhile, Kaisi Rajabu, a fisherman aged 28 and Ajasi Yosuf, a businessman aged 19 years old, were also arrested on November 25 and 27 respectively for unlawful entry into Zambia contrary to Section 11(2) as read with Section 12 (2) and Section 56 (1) of act number 18 of 2010.
Particulars of the offence were that Rajabu and Yosuf did enter Zambia on November 25 and 27 respectively without any legal documentation.
In passing judgments Magistrate Siluka reminded the four offenders that the offence they were found with carried grave repercussions, adding that punishing them will serve as a warning to would be offenders.
Responding to their mitigations Magistrate Siluka said the four should have thought of their families’ plights first and the consequences that come with their actions.
Magistrate Siluka further sentenced Phiri, Wilson and Rajabu to six months imprisonment with hard labour while Yosuf was sentenced to five months imprisonment with hard labour.
