The Central Regional Immigration Office through its prosecution section have managed to secure conviction of 3 foreign nationals who violated various immigration laws through the Lilongwe senior Resident Magistrate Court sitting on Monday November 22nd, 2021.
Among the 3 foreign nationals is Nigel Kaliofas aged 29 a Zimbabwean truck driver, passport number EN 037216 issued on 23/06/2014.
He was found with 30 Ethiopian nationals in his truck with plans to traffick them to South Africa on 23rd September at Best Oil Filling Station in Lilongwe.
During undercover to effect arrest he managed to escape, but was later arrested by our investigating team on 3/11/2021.
He was charged with Aiding and abetting which is contrary to Section 36 of the Immigration Act, he was was also charged with furnishing false information for being with Malawi National Identity Card by declaring that he is from Likono Village T/A Kadewere in Chiradzulu which is contrary to section 43 subsection (a) of the national registration act
On 1st count he was given 3 months custodial sentence, while the 2nd count he was given 12 months custodial sentence, the decision was arrived in upon request by the state that despite the accused being the first offender, but cases of foreign nationals involved in human trafficking and also trying to acquire national identity card and Malawi passport are on the rise and if not checked it may compromise our national security
The sentences will run concurrently, after serving the sentences he will be deported back to Zimbabwe.
The prosecution team also managed to secure 2 more convictions of Indian nationals who contravened immigration permit which is contrary to section 37 of the Immigration act
Details indicate that they are Pramond Singh Gusain aged 36 Passport number K 6010362 issued on 12/06/2012, chef by profession and Ansari Shahid aged 24 Passport number R9881029 issued on 06/06/2018, he is a company supervisor.
These two Indian nationals were fined K25,000, 00 each which they paid, currently they are waiting for deportation. In this regard, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services is appealing to the general public that if they come across certain people whom they suspect to be illegal immigrants, they should report such type of people to any nearest immigration office country wide since it will help in the enhancement of our national security.
In related development, the immigration department at its Mdzaleka Refugee Camp office in Dowa has refused asylum request to 2 Burundi and 2 Congolese nationals.
Reasons given for their asylum request to the officers were not valid hence the decision.
The four are Niyobano Denis aged 25, Kumbaibazi aged 23 (Burundians) and Paskali Christopher aged 24 and Paluku Shabani aged 26.
