I am not guilty - Muslims boss

ISLAMIC Supreme Council of Zambia (ISCZ) president Suzgo Zimba and two others have denied charges of giving false information to immigration officers and harbouring illegal immigrants. They have also denied aiding and abating illegal immigrants to enter and remain in Zambia. In this case, Zimba, 45, is charged with two Somalis, Egeh Abdihakim Hussein and Omar Jama Mohamud. The three have been charged with 11 counts of giving false information to immigration officers, one count of harbouring illegal immigrants, and another count of aiding and abating illegal immigrants to enter and remain in Zambia. Particulars of the offence from count one to 12 are that between January 1, 2019 and May 21, 2019, the three gave false information to immigration officers in procuring immigration visas for 11 Somalis by purporting that the immigrants were visiting Zambia to attend an inter-cultural competence course at Kook College of International Studies when in fact not . In count three, particulars of offence are that the accused persons between the same dates procured an immigration visa for a Somali Abdi Mohamed Halowo Elm Hassan by purporting that he was visiting Zambia to attend an inter-cultural competence course at Kook College of International Studies when in fact not. In the 13th count, particulars of offence are that between the same dates, the three accused persons aided and abated 11 Somalis to enter and remain in Zambia. They all pleaded not guilty to all the 13 counts and the court has since set July 10, 2019 as date for trial. This was after defence lawyer Felix Mutale applied to Lusaka Magistrate Felix Kaoma to give the case a nearest possible date as he had information that even persons who are supposed to testify as prosecution witnesses are still in custody from the date they were apprehended at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.