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A UGANDAN national fined for illegal stay in the country, said he could not renew his residence permit at the right time as he was recovering from circumcision surgery.
Joseph Mungwere, 26, who has been on wanted list for eluding law enforcers, has been fined K3,000 by the Livingstone Magistrate’s Court for remaining in the country after expiration of his permit.
The convict, who was appearing before magistrate Benjamin Mwelwa, said he could not renew his residence permit because he was recovering from a circumcision operation he had undergone.
Mungwere, who was charged with remaining in Zambia after the expiry of his permit, said he was ready to show his recuperating genitals to the court as evidence.
It is alleged that on dates unknown but between March 20 and May 20 this year, in Livingstone, Mungwere entered the country through Sakanya border post.
At the border post, he was given a temporary resident permit which has since expired but he has not renewed it.
The state told the court that the convict has been on the wanted list of the Immigration Department for a long time.
Facts in court stated that Mungwere has been eluding officers from Immigration Department who have been looking for him over his illegal stay in the country. In mitigation, the accused told the court he failed to renew his residence permit because he had undergone circumcision at the time in question.
“I have been circumcised and this happened at the time I wanted to go and renew my permit, it was not deliberate. I want to show the court that my genitals are not yet healed,” he said.
Mungwere said he came to Zambia to help a friend who was in prison but unfortunately he fell sick.
“I have never been elusive as purported by the prosecution because at the time in question I was in Congo, and I have never been on the run in Zambia,” he said.
In sentencing the accused, magistrate Mwelwa said he had considered Mungwere’s mitigation and that he was a first offender.
“I will fine you K3,000 forthwith which means you have to pay the money today, or,in default, you will go to prison for nine months.You are hereby reminded of your right to appeal to the High Court within 14 days,” he said.
ZambiaDailyMail
